


Her Dragon, His Devil

by Circus4APsycho8



Category: Fairy Tail
Genre: Cussing, F/M, Grand Magic Games, Long, POV Second Person, POV Third Person at times, Reader is a Devil Slayer, Reader is antisocial, Reader-Insert, Romance, Songfic, acnologia's human form, ah das hot, fuck yes, he steals all my uwus, laxus and acnologia are brosephs, magical fights, more tags to come, reader is a badass, reader is in her 20s, skippable smut scene, strays from canon, takes place during 7 years of tenrou team's disappearence, this took a while
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-09-12
Updated: 2020-03-27
Packaged: 2020-10-17 07:41:40
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 4
Words: 32,947
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20617415
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Circus4APsycho8/pseuds/Circus4APsycho8
Summary: You're a reclusive Devil Slayer who ended up joining Fairy Tail during their weakest point: when their top members disappear. One day, you're confronted by a mysterious man who challenges you to a battle.Little did you know how life-changing an encounter like this could be.





	1. i

**Author's Note:**

> Hey! To begin, I'd like to start by stating that this story won't really align with the canon in terms of Acnologia's magic. I'm writing this based off on my own interpretation of him, and I also haven't completely finished Fairy Tail yet, so yeah.
> 
> The song I'm using is one of my favorites: Black No. 1 by Type O Negative. It's such a great song; if you're a fan of gothic/heavy metal music, this is the song for you! 
> 
> Link to Official Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vFwYJYl5GUQ
> 
> Also, Acnologia is probably really OOC but I don't really care.
> 
> Other than that, I hope you enjoy!

* * *

_ **she’s in love with herself** _

* * *

Calloused fingers sift through long, silky blue hair, a soft sigh escaping his lips as he pushes his hair behind his shoulders. The opening of the cave allows for a gentle breeze to flutter through and tousle his untamed locks. His elbows are leaning on the tops of his knees as he hunches over and leans in to view the communication lacrima he’d stolen a while earlier. Its screen is displaying an ongoing battle between an unfamiliar mage and an entire dark guild. Judging from the commentary being made by the announcer, he was rooting for the unknown wizard. Acnologia scoffs; how could people be so easily entertained by such mundane skirmishes? He observes as the unfamiliar mage is struck down by an incredibly weak spell.

“Pathetic,” the Dragon King utters, shifting his arms a bit.

No, Acnologia had no interests in human affairs. The man was convinced that there was nothing left for him except for his mission. He had to make them all pay. He did, however, find that watching battles designed for wizards of lower power than him helped him further evolve his understanding of other types of magic. Besides, he found the new world around him rather intriguing; after all, not many people got the chance to live for four centuries as he had.

It was a curse more than anything.

Then, in that moment, something caught his attention on the screen. The source was a sudden spur of an inky darkness emerging from the middle of the battlefield. It seemed to solidify, in a sense, and before the officials onscreen knew it, there was woman standing there.

The dark guild had been completely healed as an award for winning the last battle, but they gasp upon seeing the newcomer. Donning a tattered, dark cloak, the stranger seems to emanate a malignant aura. His eyes slightly widen at the sight of her; she, unlike the majority of other wizards, actually caught his attention. Her posture is straight, face inscrutable, and the armor underneath her cloak is rather...eccentric, but modest. The woman’s (h/c) hair was more on the unruly side, but definitely contributed to her wild and slightly deranged impression. But what enraptures him the most is the immense amount of dark power she seems to be radiating. He leans forward in anticipation.

The officials of the game proceed to ask the enigmatic woman a few questions, but she either refused to answer or simply shook or nodded her head in response. By now, the crowd has fallen silent.

* * *

_**she likes the dark**_

* * *

She sweeps the crowd with her gaze, her glare causing a significant portion of the audience to back away slightly. Once she sees that none of the officials are going to attack her, she turns back to the dark guild.

Suddenly, the entirety of the dark guild begins screaming out in pain as a (f/c) magic circle expands above the group and casts an invisible spell. In mere moments, every single one of the S-class ranked dark guild members collapse in heaps of screams and unconsciousness. The camera then zoomed in on the woman, who simply frowns, tugs on her hood, then raises her middle finger to the camera. Acnologia chuckles before watching the crew gasp in shock and attempt to follow her. They try shouting questions at her, but she just vanishes into a shadow and leaves. A small smile tugs on the corner of his lips.

“...I like her.”

* * *

_ **on her milk-white neck** _

* * *

You are a loner. You don’t particularly like people and preferred your own company; after all, your mind gave you more than enough to think about. Isolation brought upon time for self-reflection, which was what you needed right now.

Riding solo is what you love, and yet you still somehow found yourself with a (f/c) Fairy Tail guildmark tattooed on your (b/p). Ever since the Tenrou team disappeared, Fairy Tail had gradually lost more and more members as the years passed and they were proclaimed dead. Since it was a smaller guild now, you decided it wouldn’t hurt to join.

The story of how you had joined was simple, really; you were out on a job one day when you came across a dark guild that had kidnapped several children. After you tore through them, you met little Romeo Conbolt, whom you took back to Fairy Tail after you rescued him. Ever since, you grew close to the young boy.

_“(Y/N)-san, thanks again for saving me! I’m sure my dad was worried sick.”_

_“I think so too. You’re welcome.”_

_You two arrived at Fairy Tail after a few hours of walking. You had smiled a bit once Romeo collided into his father’s legs. You tried slinking away undetected, but of course Romeo shouted at you._

_“(Y/N)-san! Come back!”_

_“Thank you so much for bringing my son back. Our most powerful wizards went missing a while ago, so I wasn’t sure if I’d be able to get him back...” Macao admitted._

_“You’re welcome.”_

_“Are you in a guild?” the adult asked._

_“No.”_

_Romeo pipes up: “Do you wanna join Fairy Tail?! We have jobs! Not many, but you can do all the hard ones! And...we might be small, but we’re still family! Didn’t you say you needed more jobs?”_

_“...Yes...”_

_“Come on! You know you wanna!”_

_After weighing your options, you finally gave in._

_“Fine.”_

_“YES!”_

Being in a guild was alright, you supposed, but you still would rather travel by yourself. Often, Macao and the others described you as “more reclusive than Mystogan”, which apparently said a lot to other people. It never felt like an insult, though, so you just brushed it off.

While you weren’t at the guild itself very often, you still managed to build a reputation as Fairy Tail’s new strongest wizard. Rumors were spreading around – some people said you match the power of their former S-Class wizards combined while others claimed you had darker intentions. So, when you did stop by in order to grab one of the few S-Class jobs (which were all way too easy for you, might you add), people were shocked.

Like now.

Silently, you stalk towards the job board before snagging the hardest one you can find.

“Uh...” Macao trails off after seeing a lack of response from you.

“(Y/N)-nee, wait!”

Pausing in your steps, you turn to look at the source of the voice. Of course, it’s little Romeo, who had given you that nickname during a quest you had taken with him a few months ago. If anything, you found it endearing. He was the only one who could get your attention. Pulling your hood off, you peer down at him expectantly.

His eyes widen in delight. “Everyone was wondering what kind of magic you use! I thought you might want to tell them yourself!”

Blinking, you reply: “I’m just a Devil Slayer.”

“Isn’t that awesome?!” Romeo yells, turning to his father.

“Yeah, it is,” Macao replies.

“Would you be willing to be a part of the Grand Magic Games team?” Bisca asks you.

“I suppose.”

“Wait, do you have any specific element?” Alzack inquires.

“Shadow, I guess. But I use dark magic too.”

“Isn’t a lot of dark magic illegal?” Wakaba wonders aloud.

“It just depends on how you use it,” you reply, hesitating before explaining further. “I actually had to get mine approved by the Council. And even then, they placed several restrictions on it.”

“But you can use it because you’re a responsible grown-up!” Asuka adds, perched on her father’s shoulder.

Chuckling lightly, you nod. “Exactly.”

There’s a pause before Romeo speaks up again: “Are you going on another S-Class job right now?”

“Yes. Why?”

“I was just wondering. I mean...don’t you ever take time for yourself?”

“Jobs are relaxing for me.”

Macao chuckles sadly. “You’re just like our other wizards. Just...stay safe, okay?”

“I will. If Twilight Ogre comes back, just give me a call on the lacrima. I’ll take care of them on my way back.”

“Okay! Bye, (Y/N)-nee!”

You briskly wave to everyone before stepping out and taking a look around, narrowing your eyes. Once the door closes, you pause before surveying the area once more. Despite having a cloak on, you feel the hairs on your neck standing. The town is relatively quiet, but through the piercing silence you can tell...

_...you’re being watched._

* * *

_ **the devil’s mark** _

* * *

He could smell you miles away. The moment he picked up the scent of a Devil Slayer, he knew it had to be you. It made sense in every way possible: the power you emitted during the one-sided battle against the dark guild – it could only belong to an extremely-formidable Devil Slayer. And, judging from your performance along with your initial first impression, you just might be on par with him.

_I want to fight her._

He was mildly surprised to see that you were with Fairy Tail, although your brief exchange with its remaining members showed that you weren’t particularly sociable. While he had cast a spell to allow him to temporarily traverse the world in a ghostlike state, he was still able to find and catch up to you fairly fast. In fact, he was impressed that you were able to detect him as he was. It had been a rare feat for his other foes to achieve; tracing a mage in a phantomlike stage was hard to pull off these days.

Currently, you’re looking around, attempting to find the source of your uneasiness. He can’t be seen by the naked human eye, but there are several types of magic that could easily blow his cover.

“Show yourself,” you growl, flipping your hood up. “I know you’re out there.”

* * *

_ **it's all hallows eve** _

* * *

The presence you’re sensing is growing stronger by the second. You swivel around, your dark magic managing to point the source out. According to it, the origination should be a bit to the far-right corner...

“You seem fairly strong.”

A ghostly man assembles from bits of pale blue energy swirling around him. Wisps of raw magic compose his body. His eyes are two baby blue orbs with thin, black pinpoints, their gaze settling on you. From what you can see, he has no nose or mouth in this form.

“I am,” you reply, readying yourself for a battle. “Who are you?”

He seems to ignore you. “You are a Devil Slayer, yes?” In return, you ignore him, electing to raise an eyebrow at him instead. He continues: “I want to fight you.”

“Why?”

“You’re one of the few wizards on par with me.”

“Sounds a bit arrogant.”

“Maybe so. Being alive for four-hundred years will do that to you.”

“Four centuries?”

“Yes. You don’t seem fazed.”

“I’m not surprised. Why not be able to live for centuries at this point? There are preposterous types of magic out there capable of doing the impossible.”

“That there are.”

You trail off. “Who are you? I feel like you’ve been watching me for a while.”

“I happened to see the battle you won against that entire dark guild a few days ago. I couldn’t help but applaud your reaction to the media. I figured out your magic after I picked up your scent a few miles east.”

“Scent? Then you’re some kind of Dragon Slayer? From Fairy Tail, perhaps? The old team that disappeared a while ago?” you question.

“I am a Dragon Slayer. But no, not from Fairy Tail. Not from any guild.”

“Ah. You work alone?”

“You could say that.”

“Well,” you turn, cloak swishing behind you. “I have a job to go on. You want to fight? Then let’s fight, but after I’m done. I’m always up for a challenge myself. Now, what’s your name? Don’t evade the question again.”

“Acnologia.”

“Ah. I’m (Y/N),” you note with a small smile. “Your name sounds familiar. Did you have something to do with the Tenrou team disappearance?”

“I admit, I did attack them. But they’re still alive somehow.”

You only nod, going quiet for a moment.

“You don’t seem to have an opinion on that,” Acnologia states.

“Well. You don’t seem particularly interested in humanity. If you wanted to get rid of those wizards so badly, then you must have a reason. I guarantee that times were completely different four-hundred years ago.”

“Someone from this era who gets it. I didn’t think I’d live to see the day,” he sighs.

“You must be seeking revenge. While your...methods of obtaining it are questionable, you still have to have motive. If you were able to track me, then you’re not stupid. I want to figure out your motive before I judge you for your actions.”

He’s silent for a moment, eyes wide.

“How about a deal?” you suggest, breaking the silence. “I’ll fight you. But if I win, you tell me your life story and teach me some of your magic for about a month. What do you want if you win?”

He trails off for a moment, eyes narrowing in concentration. “I want a chance to work with you. For a month or so.”

“Hm...” you nod. “Then it’s settled.”

“Excellent. We’ll be in touch.” His form dissipates away into hot, blue cinders that curl up and die out on the ground.

You smirk, shaking your head. You were just challenged to a fight with an extremely powerful wizard whose magic was likely borderline cataclysmic.

…

_This is going to be awesome._

* * *

_**the moon is full**_

* * *

The Black Dragon wasn’t quite sure what drove him to approach you. Maybe it’s the way you carried yourself: exhausted, but still willing to fight, or maybe the way your dark cloak reminded him of his. It might have been the silent determination resting behind your (e/c) eyes, or perhaps your gentle features. He loves that you are empathetic and willing to hear the other side out. Empathy is such a valuable trait in wizards – especially dark mages. In any case, he found himself growing...excited at the thought of battling a Devil Slayer. They were hard to find these days.

_And I found such an exquisite one, too._

With a smirk resting on his lips, he turns and begins walking towards his cave, eager for the upcoming week.

* * *

_ **will she trick or treat?** _

* * *

In your opinion, the hardest part about taking S-Class quests is lugging back all the Jewel you earn. This job was just a simple ‘take-that-dangerous-monster-out' kind of task. Nothing hard at all.

You sigh, closing your eyes for a moment as you listen to your newly-obtained Jewels bounce around in the bag against your back. It’s always difficult to find a challenging job these days. You cherish people who know how to throw you for a loop in battle; hopefully that Acnologia guy will be one of them. He seemed extremely strong. You can’t help but wonder what he looks like in person.

Once you arrive to your little cabin in the woods of Magnolia (close to Porlyuisca, but not too close), you store your Jewel somewhere safe before peeling your cloak off and placing it onto a hook located next to your front door. Then, you proceed to shower and change into comfy clothes.

Padding out into your living room, you begin gathering a few books from the coffee table. Once you have collected the ones you’ll be taking a look at before bed, you notice a flash of white underneath your door. Upon closer inspection, you find that it’s a folded piece of paper. Someone must have slid it under the doorstep while you were in the shower. After unfolding it, you’re greeted with contradictorily neat but messy handwriting that reads:

_Meet me at the town south of the Phoenix Mountains on Sunday at ten in the morning._

_\- A_

He must be talking about the Haunted Village. It had been abandoned long ago due to the fearful inhabitants. It was perfect; it was far away from a village or guild, so that way the Council wouldn’t notice anything that quickly. Nothing would go too terribly wrong so long as any stray travelers kept their mouth shut.

With a soft smile, you pin the paper to a piece of corkboard on your wall next to the door. After that, you pick your books up and go into your bedroom.

* * *

_ **i bet she will** _

* * *

Prior to Sunday, you do your best to prepare for the oncoming battle. You decided to take the week off in terms of jobs (with one exception) and do your own training for a while.

“Why aren’t you taking any other jobs this week, (Y/N)-nee?” Romeo question at your side.

This was the one exception. Since Macao was busy with paperwork, you got the chance to take Romeo on a (regular) job. He was far too excited at the proposal for you to decline.

“I can’t get very hurt this week.”

“Why not? You're really tough!”

You chuckle. “I have to fight someone.”

“Who?”

“...A friend.”

He nods understandingly. “Can I come watch you fight?”

Smiling, you gently run your hand through his hair. “I want you to watch too, but your safety comes first. I can’t let you come because the guy I’m fighting is probably as powerful as I am, if not more so. I won’t put you in danger of any kind. It’s going to be an intense battle.”

“A guy?” he wonders before smiling impishly. “Ah, I see what’s going on here. You don’t want me to come watch because you want alone time with your _boyfriend!”_

Sighing, you try to cover up your growing blush before crossing your arms. “He’s not my boyfriend. I don’t do that kind of thing.”

Romeo laughs. “Sure you don’t.”

“I’m serious. I just met him about a week ago. I don’t even know what he actually looks like!”

“Maybe so, but that doesn’t mean you won’t start crushing on him!” he practically sings. “Who’s the lucky guy?”

“I can’t tell you his name.”

“Why not?”

“He’s not exactly...liked by society.”

The boy’s eyes widen. “Wait, do we know him?”

“No.”

“Is he some kind of enemy of Fairy Tail?”

“Yes. He hasn’t attacked our current guild, but I know he is considered an enemy of the Tenrou team.”

“And you’re going to fight him alone?!”

“I can handle it. Besides, I made a promise to myself a few years ago. People have reasons as to why they act the way they do, and I’ve made it my goal to understand why before I strike someone down. Villains are no exception.”

He frowns. “Is it Jellal?”

Scoffing, you shake your head. “Hardly. This guy’s way more powerful than Jellal could ever hope to be.”

“M-more powerful than Jellal?! But even Erza and Natsu had trouble keeping up with him!”

You nod. “I don’t think even the Four Emperors of Ishgar combined could keep up with this guy.”

“What?! Are...are you sure you can handle him? Not that I think you’re weak, ‘cause I know you’re not! But...if _God Serena_ can’t take him...? What kind of magic would he have to use?”

Acnologia said he was some kind of Dragon Slayer – but something tells you that he uses more than just one kind of magic. No one could pull off being that strong by using one type of magic - right? But what could it be?

Yes, you are a Devil Slayer, but since your magic is directly involved with matters involving demons, you are also adept at wielding magic involving the void. That explanation is one better suited for another time.

“Look, (Y/N)-nee,” Romeo sighs. “I won’t tell anyone you’re fighting this guy alone. But, if you don’t come back by Tuesday then I’m going to tell my dad and we’ll come look for you.”

“It’s not a death match, you know. We made a bet. Fortunately, we both have to be alive for both of our demands.”

“What did you bet?”

“I want to hear his life story and for him to teach me some of his magic. If he wins, then I’ll have to travel with him for about a month.”

“Alright. Just promise me you’ll come back to Fairy Tail in one piece? Because we need you, (Y/N)-nee. You’re keeping our guild alive.”

“No, I’m not. That’s thanks to the bond you guys have.”

“Not just us. You too. You’re a crucial part of our family.”

“I promise I’ll come back, okay? I’m going to get hurt badly, I can already tell, but that’s inevitable for anything in life. I’ll be okay. It’s going to be hard, but I’m going to win.”

Romeo looks up at you and grins once more before hugging your legs. You stoop over before scooping him into your arms and hugging him. He wraps his arms around your neck.

“Don’t feel like you have to keep this a secret from your dad, okay? I don’t want to make it seem like I’m forcing you to keep this confidential.”

“You’re not. If the opportunity comes up, then I’ll spill it. If not, then no harm done, right?” You set him back down on the ground. “When are you leaving?”

“Tomorrow morning. The battle’s supposed to be on Sunday, so I just wanted to scout the area out a bit. He chose the territory, so it’s probably a place he’s familiar with.”

He nods. “Okay then. Sleep well, and good luck! I know you’ll make us proud!”

* * *

_ **she's got a date at midnight** _

* * *

Acnologia releases a heavy sigh as he lies down on his makeshift bed of raggedy blankets, placing an arm over his forehead. After trekking through the Phoenix Mountains for a few hours, he had finally managed to find a suitable place for him to stay for a while. The cave he discovered on one of the mountain’s peaks was moderately-sized, but cozy. His makeshift fire continues burning brightly in the darkness.

_I’m going to be able to go all-out in this battle, I know it, he thinks, smiling. Will I even win? She has an immense amount of power..._

If he lost, he would have to tell you who he was, and how he came to be this way. He sucks in a breath through his teeth before exhaling a moment later, shifting his arms so that they’re under his head. Acnologia’s senses were tingling with anticipation.

* * *

_ **with nosferatu** _

* * *

**[Sunday – The Haunted Village – 9:47 AM]**

You sigh a breath of relief upon entering the abandoned ruins of the village. Houses are still standing, but have become dilapidated beyond repair. Even so, they would still serve as a cool little hideout.

Once you had arrived, you immediately knew why Acnologia wanted to fight here. There was a good mix of both rocky and flat land at the base of the mountain, where its slop steeped upwards gently until it formed a rounded peak at the tip. A light breeze ruffles your cloak gently as you examine the land.

Your gaze ends up settling on the remains on the village. The spirits here aren’t violent at all. You can sense them gathering in one spot, their attention on you.

“I already put a barrier between their village and this field, if that’s what you’re thinking about.”

You turn around upon hearing the new voice.

As expected, Acnologia looks completely different than his apparition form. A tall, broad stature with chiseled muscles towers over your figure. His dark, raggedy cloak is swept asymmetrically over his chest, revealing some of his abs. Dark, bronzed, mocha-colored skin contrasts against his long, poofy, pale, baby-blue hair which reaches down to his back. His feet are bare, pant legs rising just above his ankles. Dull, green eyes examine your form as he steps forward. Triangular markings the color of his hair line his arms and face.

“It’s for the best. I don’t want their village to be destroyed,” you state after observing him for a second.

You two are silent for a moment as you both look at each other, feeling the magic power leaking from both of your figures.

“You have another form other than that apparition, don’t you?” you ask. There’s no way that he’d be able to spook Fairy Tail as a ghost. Or like this.

“I do. I’m most commonly seen as a dragon.”

You nod, smirking wickedly. “I get to fight a dragon. I can’t wait.”

“You’re the first person I’ve met who’s been excited to fight me.”

You shrug. “I take advantages of challenges because I don’t get them often at all.”

“I understand. I’m the same way.” Trailing off, he takes off his cloak, throwing it to the side. Forcing your eyes to stay off his chest, you also discard yours, fully revealing your armor.

“Shall we begin?”

“I thought you’d never ask.”

* * *

_ **oh baby lily munster** _

* * *

He starts the battle off with the move nearly all Dragon Slayers use: a Dragon Roar. You’ve only fought three Dragon Slayers before (Cobra and the Twin Dragons; all were battles that you had won), but you know Acnologia’s strength could outpower all of the other Dragon Slayers combined. His roar begins by shooting out a beam of white light and morphing into a pale baby blue color. You transform into your shadow form without even moving, noting that he doesn’t have to yell the spell he’s casting out like most wizards do.

_How long has he been fighting for it to become second-nature to him like this?_

While staying in your shadow form, you morph into the ground before springing up behind where he was.

Keyword: was.

He’s gone now.

_Note to self: this guy’s got speed._

You feel him pop up behind you, but judging by the minor disturbance of your magic, you can tell he’s trying to catch you off guard. You turn, grab his fist, which had been readying a blow of magic (you weren’t sure which spell exactly) and solidify yourself, causing your weight to throw him off balance. After dropping to the ground, he immediately begins an onslaught of attacks. You stop what you’re doing before summoning a dark magic circle and flinging your hand out, not concerned when nothing happens. It provides defense for yourself but also casts a spell.

This specific conjuration lets you ensnare your opponent’s mind into darkness. It’s a chronic spell that took about an hour or so to fully take effect. It would just kick the foe’s insecurities up about three or four notches, which was usually enough to distract them temporarily.

He runs up beside you and throws a light-blue stripe of power towards you, but you simply duck under it and try to counter with a punch to his abdomen, which he dodges.

From there, the fight takes a nonmagical turn. You two are locked in an intense hand-to-hand combat session. Adrenaline is already pumping through your veins as you block, throw punches, kick, and jab. From you can gather, the majority of his technique is an older type of martial arts style mixed with more modern moves, which is what makes it difficult to keep up with. You know you’re able to hold your own against him only because your style is literally just a melting pot of martial arts, so it’s much harder for the opponent to predict your next move. He manages to hit you a few times, but you get a few on him, too. You two keep at it for a good fifteen minutes before you slip up and he takes advantage of it in a split-second decision. He grabs your arms and flips your over his shoulder, but you land on something...soft?

_It’s his magic. What is he doing?_

The blue substance wraps itself around your arms and legs, effectively trapping you.

Acnologia appears before you, grinning wickedly. “Eternal Flare!”

Then, what must be thousands of bright stars rain down from the sky, just above you.

_I’m trapped and about to be impaled. How do I get out of this?_

When the stars are finally a few feet away, you aim your restraints towards the tip of the stars. One rips through your left hand’s restraint, but none of the other straps of magic are broken. You grit your teeth as your body is bombarded with magic energy, pain enveloping the right side of your torso.

_I’ve had worse injuries._

After the spell is over, Acnologia casts another one in an attempt to get you to stay down. This one is more of an explosion, but you whip your free hand up just in time to summon a defensive circle that blocks the most harmful part of the explosion. Even then, his magic overpowers your halfheartedly-summoned magic circle. The important thing is that you didn’t take the full amount of damage. From there, you manage to break free entirely by swelling dark magic underneath the other three restraints and bursting through them. Standing, you immediately sense Acnologia rushing up behind you.

He tries to strike you with some kind of magically-formed weapon, but you form a stripe of dark energy (shaped like the blade of a sword) in both of your hands, raising it to meet his. Yours cuts his in half, and he stumbles forward. You seize the moment and ram your knee into his chest before stepping around him and kicking him in the back. Hard.

Grunting, he recovers quickly and grabs your wrist before you can cast another assault on him. You try pushing back, but he’s much stronger than you are – physically, at least. He manages to overpower you and tosses you over his shoulder like you weigh nothing (again). You hear something being summoned, but you can’t quite see whatever it is. Your own protective magic circle envelops your figure, but he still manages to break through.

Falling on the ground roughly, you feel pain splintering throughout your entire body. Picking yourself back up, you grit your teeth and continue.

“I have to say, I’m impressed,” Acnologia states once you’ve recovered. “No one has ever lasted that long against me in physical combat.”

You snort. “Not surprised. You’re good.”

“You are too, but I haven’t even used much of my power yet.”

With a smirk, you reply: “Neither have I.”

He doesn’t respond, but your magic picks up on a strange disturbance. It feels like it’s flickering in and out of reality, but...it’s definitely there, being directed at you.

_What is that?_

Frowning, you commence attempting to figure out what’s happening by shooting out a thin layer of shadows across the valley.

…

…

…

_He’s messing with time. I don’t know how, but he is._

And suddenly, a sharp pain floods the back of your head and you’re on your back on the ground, the breath knocked out of your lungs.

“Heh, that always messes people up,” Acnologia states, hovering above you. Where did he come from? “You were able to sense it, though. I could tell.”

Still, you manage to back away and stumble to your feet. “Time magic?”

“Yes.”

“Interesting. I wonder...” you trail off, a wicked smile curling on your lips.

There were three types of magic that the Council was extremely finnicky about – other than dark magic, of course. Those three were space, time, and void magic – the magics of reality itself. How Acnologia had managed to learn time magic, you weren’t sure. The thing is, though, as a Devil Slayer who had been able to explore your magic for a few years, you found a secret – one that the Council would not like.

_Void magic._

Darkness was inevitably intertwined with the void. That was something your learned a while ago. It happened with several dark mages, many of whom weren’t well-known among the public: they would fall to something far more sinister than just darkness, or their inner demon. No, the worst fate a dark mage could succumb to? Falling to the void – a place where _nothing_ exists.

And luckily for you, void magic was one of the best magics to counter time with.

This battle’s about to get five-hundred times more interesting.

“That expression on your face is purely evil,” he notes with a sexy smirk.

You chuckle, tearing your eyes away from the tattoos imprinted on his chest. “Is it, now?”

“I want to know why.”

“You’re about to find out.”

Grinning, you snap your fingers, a corrupted magic circle expanding underneath your feet. It’s black and parts of it appear to be glitching out to who knows where.

His eyes widen and his smirk fades away, leaving his mouth slightly agape; he seems genuinely surprised.

_Perfect._

After balling your hands into fists, you start gesturing as you hold your arms out to your side.

_“Concavum,”_ you mumble, throwing your arms to the sides as energy springs from your body.

A pulse of darkness sweeps across the field, covering a large radius. You don’t particularly care if other people notice because you’re having too much fun to hold back.

The sky then turns from a bright blue to an unnatural black. Acnologia watches as the ground disappears and everything fades away, leaving the two of you standing in an odd place: one that is the safest region to be in yet the most dangerous at the same time. The void – a paradox within itself.

“Incredible,” you hear the dragon mutter. “I’ve never seen magic like this.” The man looks genuinely impressed as he looks around.

Smiling, you finish casting the spell by inflicting an encounter magic-type spell that turns your bodies black-and-white.

“How in the hell did you learn magic like this?” he asks, observing his now-monochromatic body.

“I’ll tell you if you put up a good enough fight.”

Encounter magic can force a battle to go into a turn-based system, but you choose to let the fight remain unhindered. Doing so drains a lot of your energy, but by this point you need something unique.

“Turn based?” he mumbles to himself.

“Kinda boring, huh? Even so, it’s pretty effective. But I was nice and disabled it for the time being,” you reply.

He frowns for a moment before raising a light-blue enveloped fist and charging towards you. Bobbing underneath his arm, you send an elbow jab to his abdomen before countering his recovery punch by ducking again. After wrestling a bit, he throws his entire weight on top of you before grabbing your arms. The gravity here behaves oddly, so you’re not quite trapped but are unable to gain the upper hand. Either way, he’s still pretty close.

“You’re good,” he compliments. “A challenge to me, at least.”

“I know,” you joke with a smile. “Hey, do you think we could break reality?”

“I guarantee we could. You’ve already provided the basis in the form of the void. I can just send the void falling apart with a time spell.”

“What a dumb idea,” you reply nonchalantly.

“Let’s do it.”

He breaks a fist away and summons a spiral stripe of time magic that’s coiled around his forearm. You stand on your feet and observe as he begins chanting something in a magical language before kneeling down and slamming his clenched hand through the black.

As it turns out, it really was a dumb idea.

The time magic swirled around the darkness in an attempt to perform its intended function, but it retracts back into Acnologia’s arm before skittering back down at an alarming rate and roughly planting itself back into the ‘ground’. Before you know it, the magic begins spreading out quickly into thin sheets before it starts crackling with life.

“Oh no,” you state with a monotonal voice.

From there, the magic roots out into a wide place before seeping into the void further. How that’s possible, you aren’t sure, but soon, a dainty shattering sound can be heard.

And then everything falls apart. Quite literally, too.

The entire system falls apart after succumbing to a large explosion that bombards the place as you transform yourself into your shadow form and observe. Acnologia is nowhere to be found, but you know he’s still watching.

After the void splinters into pieces, you fall back into reality, noticing something oddly satisfying.

Parts of various objects (trees, rocks, plants, etc.) seem to be...phasing in and out of reality.

“Damn,” you comment. There was probably no fixing this.

“We just broke reality.”

“I’ve never done that before,” you note, waving your hand through a glitchy bush. “I wonder...are multiple timelines overlapping? Or is it something else?”

Your question goes unanswered as you see a golden ring of light on the ground surrounding you. Before you know it, a blast of golden luminescence wholly envelops you, causing pain to spark throughout your body.

“Ugh...” you groan, halfheartedly summoning another magic circle beneath your feet. “I guess...make a shield.”

His magic is odd – you can’t quite tell what his element is, or if he even has one. You can tell his dragon-esque moves have the ability to drain magic energy, but there’s something else there that you’re not quite grasping.

_I wonder... It’s got to be original dragon-slaying magic. He said he was four-hundred years old, right? I’m going to ask him about that._

The makeshift blockade manages to cut out the worst part of the blast. Once the attack subsides, you once again transform into your shadow form before zipping through the field and turning yourself relatively invisible.

“You casted some kind of spell earlier,” he says, voice coming to you in waves. “I can feel it taking effect. I feel...doubtful. Even more hopeless than usual.”

“Hm.” It didn’t distract him as much as you would have liked. In any case, you can’t let it distract you. You’ve got to keep going.

The fight lasts for a few hours – you two go back and forth, each close but not quite able to gain the upper hand. It’s becoming clear that he’s better than you when it comes to hand-to-hand combat, but you’re smarter and much more strategic about your attacks. The two of you seem to have the same amount of magic energy, but neither of you are giving up that easily.

You two are so enveloped in your battle that you don’t hear foreign footsteps approaching.

“What is the meaning of this?!”

Freezing in your steps, you turn to find none other than Lahar and a regiment of Rune Knights behind him.

“Fuck!” you mumble before Acnologia takes advantage of your distraction and tackles you, pinning your arms above your head.

“We need to leave,” you breathe.

“Damn,” he sighs, looking towards a confused Lahar.

“Under orders from the Magic Council, I’m going to have to arrest the both-”

“Hold on,” Acnologia mumbles, his grip on your arms tightening as you look around. Then, he leans down so that his mouth is next to your right ear. “I’m going to teleport us,” he whispers, causing you to nod before he opens a magic circle underneath your body.

You haven’t seen his magic circle yet. Glancing down, you find that his are black intertwined with blue with a unique symbol imprinted in the middle and on the sides.

His magic is beautiful.

You’re faintly aware of him telling you to close your eyes as you let the warmth of his magic slowly seep over your being and envelope you into the place that resides between Earthland and the world of magic. His hands are still resting on your wrists as the two of you melt away from reality for a bit.

Then, he holds you a bit tighter before you see a bright flash of light behind your eyelids and are sucked into reality once more.

* * *

_ **ain't got nothin’ on you** _

* * *

“Are you alright?”

Opening your eyes, you look up to see Acnologia hovering over you, his hands still on your biceps.

“Yes,” you reply, hesitating a moment. “Thanks for getting us out of there. Being arrested wouldn’t make for a great reputation booster, and god knows Fairy Tail doesn’t need any more downplaying of any sort.”

“Yeah,” he replies, rolling off of you.

The two of you are quiet for a moment, both still lying down. You take a moment to view your surroundings.

It seems like the two of you are in a small cave.

“Where are we?” you ask, sitting up and wincing when you realize that you’re extremely sore. Something doesn’t feel right in your ribs, and you think your right arm might be broken. Your body must be littered in bruises and cuts.

Not that you mind. That was the most fun you’d had in months.

“Mount Hakobe,” he replies, also sitting up before examining you. You suddenly feel shy upon silently watching his gaze flicker over your body. “Are you hurt?”

“Yeah, a little,” you admit.

“I am too. I’ve got some healing agents here somewhere...” Acnologia states before standing and walking away.

You wince a bit as a sharp pain courses through your body, sitting up a bit.

“Here. Where are you hurting most?”

You gesture to your ribs, so he proceeds to pull out a healing bandage, offering it to you. You gingerly take it between your fingers before you raise your shirt enough to expose your belly and the skin above your ribs. You peel the bandage out of its package and stick it on. Instantly, you feel immediate relief.

“An unstoppable original dragon slayer guy that has the power to control time as well as stars know what else, and yet you still haven’t mastered healing magic,” you state with a smirk.

“Healing magic has always been too hard for me to learn. It was the one magic language I could never understand,” he replies, applying a few bandages to himself.

“I get it. It’s definitely one of the harder magics to learn.”

There’s a moment before he speaks up again: “How did you figure out that I am an original dragon slayer?”

“Well, I couldn’t really think of an element that your magic cleanly associates with what you’ve shown me so far. You said you’re four-hundred years old, too, and I realized that goes back into the age of dragons, so that’s really the only other type that makes sense. I would think the original type would consist of something that wouldn’t necessarily be made to combat a specific element, but multiple. That’s why it’s not any one element.”

A small smile appears on his face. “You’re right.”

Another silence ensues before you realize something else. “Well...I think it’s safe to say we’re pretty evenly-matched.”

“I have to agree.”

“So what do we do about our bargain?”

Acnologia trails off for a moment before looking at you. “Do a bit of both?”

A wicked smile takes place on your lips. “Sounds perfect to me.”


	2. ii

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> How your month with Acnologia went ;)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Alright, I'm thinking now that this is going to be more like 5 or 6 chapters. I came with an awesome idea >:) This was fun to write!!! Enjoy, gamers.

* * *

_ **well when i called her evil** _

* * *

“When are you leaving? How long will you be gone? Will you be able to participate in the Grand Magic Games?” Romeo presses as you pack your belongings into a dark duffel bag.

“I’m leaving as soon as I’m ready. I’ll be gone for a month. Yes, I’ll be in the games.”

“Okay. That’s not as long as I originally thought,” he replies, flopping face first onto your bed.

“It’ll go by quickly, don’t worry,” you state, slinging in clothes and other necessary items.

“I get that. It’s just going to be weird not having you around for a while.” The young mage releases a dramatic sigh. “Promise me you’ll take me on an S-Class mission once you get back?”

“Maybe not S-Class. I’m not sure how your dad would feel about that. But yes, I’ll take you on a mission.”

“Yes! Thanks!”

“Alright, I think I’ve got everything I need.” You look around your room before nodding to yourself. “Okay. Let’s get you back to the guildhall.”

“You’re going to say goodbye to everyone, right?”

“I suppose.”

* * *

_ **she just laughed** _

* * *

“Wait, so you’re going out to train this early?” Bisca asks, frowning.

“Yes.”

“Alone?”

“No, she’s going with her boyfriend!” Romeo adds.

“For the last time, he’s not my boyfriend!” you demand, rolling your eyes. “He’s just a friend. We just fought to compare strength, and then we made a bet for whoever won. We ended up being equal in power, so we decided to combine what we wanted in our bets.”

Macao sighs. “If you say so. Just...be safe, okay?”

You nod. “I will.”

…

Your mysterious friend is waiting for you near the base of Mount Hakobe, cloak back over his shoulders; you note that he’s also carrying another cloak. Must be the one you dropped.

“Hey. Ready to go?” you question, catching your cloak as he tosses it at you.

“Yes,” he responds, turning and heading off into the mountains. You follow him quietly.

* * *

_ **and cast that spell on me** _

* * *

The mountains are thick with snow, as per usual with Mt. Hakobe. As the two of you trudge through the densely-packed snow, you watch him carefully.

Acnologia seems like he’s virtually weather proof; he doesn’t appear to be shivering nor is he wearing much clothing other than his cloak and pants. You don’t particularly mind the cold, but you do end up hugging your cloak tighter around you.

You decide to start off the conversation with a simple question that you hope will lead into a deeper topic.

“Do you like travelling?”

He doesn’t reply for a moment, but you know he heard you. He continues trekking up the steep side of the mountain with you following.

“I used to,” he admits. “A long time ago. I liked seeing the different climates, different cultures, different magics. Now, it’s all kind of blurring together for me for multiple reasons. But, another part of me is just ready to settle down, even though I know there’s no chance for that.” You hear him release a heavy sigh, so you don’t press any further. “What about you?”

“I like it for the most part – being on my own and all. I’m also kind of like you, though. Sometimes I just want to find a home and stay there.”

You see him nodding out the corner of your eye.

A few more minutes of silence blow by as the two of you approach a more level patch of the mountain.

“Do you have a specific route in mind?” you wonder aloud.

“I was thinking we could work our way through these mountains, then we could go through Akane Beach – it has a large wooded section that leads to the ocean we can hike through – and then from there we could sail across the Calm Sea into the Graveyard Sea, where we land at the Pheonix Mountains. That alone will take us long enough that the Council will stop investigating the area. After that, we’ll hike through those mountains until we make it to Crocus, where we’ll walk back to Magnolia. All of that combined will take us about a month.”

“Sounds good,” you reply, grinning a little bit. “But will you get motion sick if we sail?”

You think he’s smiling a little. “We’re not sailing.”

He doesn’t offer any other context, so you shrug it off and decide you’ll figure it out when the time comes.

…

Other than a few unfortunate Vulcans that got their faces smashed in by the two of you, the day ends without much trouble. As night approaches, you end up settling into a cozy little overhang on the peak of the mountain. A makeshift fire has already been ignited as you both settle by it.

“You said you wanted to learn some of my magic,” Acnologia speaks up. “What parts of it, exactly?”

You shrug. “Namely, its language, a few attacks, and your main defense moves. And, of course, whatever else you know that’s cool.”

“Okay. I’ll start teaching you tomorrow, then,” he states, lying down on the ground with his hands underneath his head.

You bunch your cloak up and push it under your head as an improvised pillow. You’d never really used a sleeping bag anyway.

Although you’re not really showing it, you’re really excited for the following morning.

* * *

_ **boo bitch craft** _

* * *

The following weeks passes quicker than you thought it would. The days would consist of Acnologia teaching you the art of his magic. To your surprise, it wasn’t as complex as you originally thought it would be. You were expecting some sort of elaborate set of hand gestures or thought processes, but none of that was needed.

He told you that the secret to original dragon-slaying magic was nothing more than bleeding raw magic and utilizing it properly. At first, you were overthinking it too much – you were forcing it, in a sense, and that just didn’t work. Once he taught you the basics of its magical language, you were able to wield it much more efficiently.

Something about his magic was strangely emancipating; you couldn’t quite figure out what it was just yet. You think once you actually use it in a battle you might understand it a bit more.

Acnologia had only smiled slightly upon viewing your first failed attempt. From there, he had crept behind you so that your back was pressed against his chest, taking your hands into his. His mouth was beside your ear as he patiently described how to cast the spell. You ignored the way your heart would race every time he came close, or the way your face would turn red at a comment of yours he found funny. Every time something of the like happened, you would push your feelings to the side and focus intently on the task at hand.

You thought he was a good teacher. In all honesty, you never expected a man like him to be so patient and so thorough.

Once you got the hang of learning the spell of the day, the two of you would have a quick sparring session before you would go hunting and eat a fulfilling dinner together. Afterwards, conversations would ensue until one of you fell asleep.

If you’re being honest with yourself, you haven’t had this much fun in a long time. Not only was Acnologia a good partner to spar and train with, but the two of you would also converse about anything and everything – ranging from personalities associated with guilds to philosophical topics. Nothing was shallow with him, and you love that.

In fact, you kept forgetting that he was a villain. A murderer. A dragon.

The time came when the two of you made it out of the Hakobe Mountains and ventured into the hometown of Blue Pegasus.

“Haven’t been out in society for a while,” Acnologia notes, walking by your side.

You giggle a bit. “I haven’t been out here in a while. I guess it’s good that it’s a rainy day, though. Less people is always a good thing.”

Your friend nods in response as you look around the plaza, your gaze eventually falling on a cute little tavern that seems pretty cozy.

“Hey, let’s grab something to eat. I’m famished!” you say, grabbing his hand and tugging him along towards the moderately-sized restaurant.

“I don’t have any Jewels,” he replies, his green eyes wide.

“I brought some. Come on, we deserve it!”

…

“Okay, Akane Beach is next, right? Are we going to start walking tonight or do we want to grab a hotel room?” You admit, at first you were being kind of awkward around him since you’re shy and all, but after this first week, you feel like you’ve warmed up to Acnologia faster than you have to other people.

“I’m sick of walking and I want to ask you something. Let’s find a hotel.”

The second part of his first sentence caught you a bit off guard, but nevertheless you simply nod and head towards the nearest inn.

You don’t really mind sharing a room with him because you don’t think he’ll try anything. And, if he did, you could just take him out. No biggie.

“One room with twin beds, please,” you mutter, handing the concierge the appropriate amount of Jewel. Wordlessly, she hands you a key and a sheet of paper listing your room number and some other pointers that you don’t care to read at the moment.

With that, the two of you make your way to your room.

…

“What did you want to ask?” you question, throwing your duffel bag onto your bed while he sits down on the one across from you.

Acnologia sighs, taking off his cloak and draping it over his lap. You do your best not to get distracted by his chest. “You know I took out the Tenrou team. Why haven’t you asked me about it yet?”

You shrug. “Honestly, I wanted to get to know you on a personal basis first. I feel like it’s wrong to initially judge people by the first action you’re exposed to when there could be so much more going on behind the scenes.”

A sardonic smile is traced on his lips as he looks down. “There’s not much more to me.”

“Let me guess. A dragon destroyed your village and you’ve held a resentment ever since,” you estimate, hoping that your tone doesn’t imply that you’re mocking him.

“Pretty much. You know, I was originally a doctor. A doctor without true healing magic,” he chuckles dryly. “The only magic I could use that came close to healing magic was a type that would only let me stop bleeding.”

“That’s still an invaluable magic to have,” you point out, shifting on your bed so that you’re sitting cross-legged. “I would think that would be especially useful during a war.”

“I guess so. I still felt pretty helpless, though. Hell, I was a doctor who couldn’t even heal wounds.”

“I don’t think that’s helpless. Did you go to school to become a doctor?”

“No, my mom was a healer. She could actually heal people’s wounds and taught me everything I knew. I remember that she tried teaching me how to heal injuries, but I think I was too young to understand. She ended up passing before I could fully understand it.”

“I’m sorry to hear that,” you state honestly.

“Thanks,” he replies hesitantly – almost like he’s not used to being shown compassion.

“But you’re right. There was this one dragon I knew before we were betrayed – god, I actually thought humans and dragons could coexist in peace. I thought I had befriended him. He was our so-called divine guardian. I had stopped the bleeding on his wound one day when he mentioned that he had heard the development of dragon-slaying magic. At the time, I had no other way to defend myself or my village. So when they betrayed us, it was devastating. I had no one. I was on my own for centuries.”

“May I ask which dragon that was?”

Acnologia remains silent for a moment, head still lowered. You’re beginning to wonder whether or not you should back off before he answers.

“His name was Acnologia.”

“I see,” you mumble, wondering briefly for a moment what his birth name could be. _He was so consumed with hatred he changed his identity just to strike fear into his enemies._ “I assume from that point on you just got stronger.”

“Until I became the very thing I was fighting against.”

You nod, thinking for a moment.

“I don’t agree with what you’ve done, not in the slightest. There were definitely better ways you could have gone about the dragon issue, but at the same time, I see where you’re coming from.” Pausing, you look away for a moment before asking:

“Do you want a second chance at redemption?”

He looks up at you, expression inscrutable. You return the stare, unmoving.

It seems like a few minutes pass before he speaks. “Are you serious? After everyone I’ve killed? After everything I’ve destroyed?”

You sigh, unfolding your legs and leaning forward. “In my opinion, you just need to move on and get a fresh start. I get that it might not be so black-and-white for you, but the dragon slayers we have now are genuinely good. I know because I’ve heard crazy but awesome stories about them. Yeah, some of them lost sight of what truly mattered for a while, but they’ll come back around. They always do. You’re stuck in the past, but you still have a chance. Just think about how much good you could do. Perhaps you can still learn to heal. Or, you could try something else out if you’re not down for a normal life. You could join Crime Sorciere, help defeat Zeref. Hell, I bet I could even convince Macao to let you join Fairy Tail, even if he _did_ know that you attacked the Tenrou team. Your life is still yours, and personally I don’t think it’s right to make you rot away in prison. Not after all the years you’ve been alone. Not that they could match you in terms of strength anyway. So, I’ll ask one more time. Do you want a second chance at redemption?”

Your friend seems taken aback for a while as he considers the proposition. For a moment, you’re certain he’s going to lash out judging by the tautly-blank face he’s making. You carefully study his expression in hopes of catching a glimpse of another emotion.

“...Yes. Yes, I do,” he says with a gentle but genuine smile that makes your heart skip a beat.

_His smile is too cute!_

“Excellent. So, Mister Acnologia,” you stand up and walk over to him, where you stick your hand out to him. “Would you like to be friends?”

“I would like that.”

* * *

_ **yeah you wanna go out 'cause it's raining and blowing** _

* * *

“Do you know how much longer we have until we reach the sea?” you ask, following him as he treks through the forest.

“Should only be another five minutes or so,” he comments as you watch his cloak swish in the light breeze.

Today is a tiny bit overcast, but not that you’re complaining. You like it when the sun isn’t beating down on your skin so you can take your cloak off for a bit. You can tell it’s getting dark now, though – the walk took a bit longer than you thought it would. After the two of you had left the inn, you had changed into a comfy outfit suitable for the outdoors. The faint scent of salty air reaches your senses as the two of you stumble upon what must be the end of the forest.

As the treeline gradually recedes and the grass is replaced by sand, you take a good look around.

“I discovered this place when I was flying around here once,” Acnologia explains. “It’s a few miles away from the public resort, but nobody ever comes here because of town folklore and myths. They say those woods are haunted.”

“I didn’t sense any spirits,” you mumble, closing your eyes as a gentle breeze caresses your skin. The crashing of the waves brings a small, content smile to your lips.

“Neither did I,” he replies, also smiling smally.

For a moment, the two of you are quiet, the only noises being the crashing waves and the gentle breeze rustling the trees.

“Do you think the water’s cold?” you question.

“Doubt it. At least, not until it rains later on.”

A smirk gently tugs on your lips as you bend down to take your shoes off, an idea blossoming. Leaving them on the sand, you walk further barefoot until your feet stand upon soaked and mushy sand. The waves rush thinly over your feet and around your ankles. He was right – it's not very cold today. You walk further until you’re about knee deep, not caring that your clothes are getting wet. You have alternate outfits so it’s not a big deal if it gets ruined.

You drag your fingertips lightly against the surface of the water, enjoying the feeling of the water swirling around your skin. You haven’t been to the ocean in forever.

A few minutes later, Acnologia joins you, stepping beside you without his cloak on. You do your best to avert your gaze elsewhere.

“It feels nice today, hm?” he says lowly.

“It does,” you agree, twirling in the water a bit as you crouch so that your torso gets a bit wet. You decide now is the time for action.

“How about we try sparring in the water?”

He glances at you, simpering lightly. “Fine by me.”

With that, the two of you begin fighting. It’s much more difficult, evidently, since there are more factors to take into account in the water than they are on land. The water heavily resists your movements, so you’re much slower. He seems a bit better off since he’s able to fight the resistance with his immense amount of his strength, but you do your best to keep up. You also remind yourself periodically to keep a check on your balance so you don’t fall.

After about five minutes, he seemingly grows annoyed and ducks down, diving towards your abdomen. The action shocks you as you try to back away, but he already has his arms wrapped around your waist as he picks you up and slings you over his shoulder.

The sudden movement causes a surprised squeak to escape your lips as you kick his chest. Nevertheless, his iron grip refuses to let you go.

You groan, placing your hands on his shoulder blades to support yourself.

“Put me down!” No matter how hard you tried, you couldn’t refrain from giggling, though.

“If you insist.”

Your eyes widen as he shifts you and throws you into the water, landing on your side. You come up half sputtering water and half cussing him out.

Acnologia laughs as you stand and walk over to him. You try to push him over, but he’s too heavy.

“There’s no way you’re gonna be able to lift me,” he comments slyly, eyeing you as you push against his toned chest.

“Ugh!” you groan. “That doesn’t mean I can’t try.”

“Hmph. I can always just throw you aga-”

He’s cut off when you jump on his back and try to throw him off balance with your weight. After a few minutes of him struggling to get you off, he finally falls over and you mentally celebrate.

When he surfaces, you find that his long hair is now completely flat and plastered to his skin.

“Dammit,” he mumbles as you take a moment to relish in your victory.

“Now we’re even,” you say, sitting down next to him. Where the two of you are at right now, the water only reaches your neck when you’re sitting. The goopy sediment underneath your legs swirls around in the water as the two of you silently watch the sunset, the water lapping gently against your figures as you feel your shoulders touching.

His hands are underneath the water, but from the way you feel his shoulders moving, you think he’s sifting his fingers through the sand.

“What are you doing?” you wonder, looking over at him.

“Trying to find a seashell. Or a sea monster scale. They’re pretty common out in this sea, and it’s typical for them to wash up here.”

Humming in acknowledgement, you start feeling for shells as well. Although you can’t see through the water very well, you can feel the sediment stirring up underneath your fingertips as you focus on what’s below. After a few seconds of feeling, you’re about to give up when suddenly your right hand stumbles upon something.

Judging from its fleshy and warm texture, it can’t be a seashell or a scale. Upon further investigation, you find that it’s...

...Acnologia’s hand.

As soon as the realization dawns upon you, you jerk your arm back and turn your head away, grateful that the dim sky is concealing your blush.

“Sorry,” you mumble, willing your heartbeat to slow.

He only laughs lightly in response, leaning back on his arms. He brings one of his hands up to show you a midnight-blue scale traced with silver lining.

“Here,” he places the scale in your hand.

“For me?”

“Yep.”

You smile, flipping it over between your fingers. “Thank you.”

The two of you continue looking at the sky in silence until the water grows too cold to bear and you’re forced to retreat back to the ocean.

* * *

_ **you can’t go out ‘cause your roots are showing** _

* * *

Your eyes flutter open gently as unwelcome sunlight invades your vision and grogginess overcomes your body. Groaning slightly, you sit up and take a look around.

The two of you are still at the beach. After you had gotten out of the water, Acnologia had made a campfire while you went to change into dry clothes. From there, the two of you agreed to camp out on the beach.

You admit – it was lovely to fall asleep listening to the crashing waves.

“Morning,” comes Acnologia’s disgruntled voice from in front of you. He’s sitting in front of the campfire, cooking up some monstrous fish.

“Morning. Mm, smells good. What’ve you got planned today?” you ask, moving so that you’re sitting next to him.

“I was actually going to take you to where Tenrou was,” he states with a blank face.

“Really? Why?”

“...I don’t know. I just thought I would,” he replies with the same expression. You know there has to be more to it than that, and you intend to find out his reasoning.

You fight a smile and lean closer, folding your arms. “There’s got to be a reason, don’t you think? Come on, you can tell me. You know I won’t judge.”

An annoyed sigh escapes him and he looks away. “They’re technically your guildmates. Wouldn’t you want to know?”

“Mmm...I do, yeah. But I also really want to know why you’re taking me there.”

He turns back to you, the expressionless emotion still plastered onto his face. “I...I’ll tell you when we get there, if that’s okay.”

Your smile fades at the amount of sincerity he’s displaying, and you can’t help but be curious. What’s he on about?

“Yeah, that’s fine,” you reply.

“Okay. Are you done eating?”

“Just about.”

“Alright.”

He stands and begins walking into the forest with you still watching. You figure he’s just gathering extra resources, so you continue eating the last few bites of your fish.

But, oh, how sorely mistaken you were.

Seconds later, an ear-splitting roar thunders through the beach. Your eyes widen as you stand, your gaze shifting towards the path Acnologia had taken.

Emerging from behind the first line of trees is a dragon. Not just any dragon, no, but Acnologia’s signature form.

He’s absolutely massive, with dark, black scales the color of the midnight sky covering his body. Imprinted on certain parts of the scales are gorgeous, light, neon blue patterns of ripples. His underbelly is an off-white color, and if you squint you think you can see scars along his scales. Long, sharp claws accompany his razor-sharp teeth.

You feel your jaw drop in sheer awe as you feel pulses of incredible magic power emanate from him. You didn’t feel this much power when the two of you were battling!

“Wow,” you whisper, gazing up at him as he lands on the beach, the ground vibrating as he lands.

A few moments later, you finally find the courage to walk towards him. He stays still for a while, but he leans his snout down for you. You reach your hand up and tenderly caress the side of his jaw, feeling his scales underneath your skin. His beady, white eyes stare down upon you as you remove your hand.

“I’m so glad we’re not sailing,” you say, huffing out a laugh as well.

Acnologia shifts and turns so that his right wing is leveled towards the ground. Understanding the message, you climb upon it as carefully as you can and clamber onto his back, where you secure your hands underneath two of his thick scales, hoping that you’re not hurting him.

He seems fine, though, as he releases another mighty roar and then begins flapping his wings, rising into the air. Adrenaline races through your veins, making your heart beat faster as he rises higher and higher, the small beach shrinking even farther away with every beat of his wings.

Then, he takes off.

You squeal in delight as the wind whips across your ears and through your hair, uncontrollable laughter bubbling from your chest as he zooms across the ocean. At one point, he rises above the clouds, then gently slopes back down so low that his belly is almost touching the water. You feel droplets hit your face when he flicks his oddly-shaped tail into the water just to splash you.

“Oi!” you yell, but you can’t really stay mad because you’re having far too much fun to care.

Eventually, his path straightens out and you lay down on your stomach, turning your head so that you can see the ocean. Your grip still remains tight on his scales, but he’s not going as fast now so you’re not too worried.

At one point, you close your eyes and just enjoy the feeling of being in the air.

“Thank you,” you mumble contently. “This is wonderful.”

A few minutes later, he gradually slows down to a stop. You sit up, looking around the area only to find the vast, never-ending expanse of ocean.

This must be it.

Before you know it, a blue, rectangular blob forms underneath his figure. He flies down low enough so that you can jump off his back onto his solidified platform of magic. You wobble a bit as your legs shake from all of that excitement.

A bright burst of light ensues, temporarily blinding you before it dies out and is replaced by Acnologia’s human form.

“Better than sailing?” he questions smugly, giving you a closed-eye smirk.

“Fuck yes,” you respond, still breathless.

He laughs in response as he walks to the edge of the platform. “Good.”

You take a moment to recover your balance before you peer over the edge.

“You made this platform out of your magic?” you ask.

“Yes. It’s only temporary, but I thought it’d be better than treading water and swimming for the entire time.”

“It definitely is,” you note. “So, this is where Tenrou was?”

“Right about over there,” answers Acnologia, placing his right hand on your shoulder as he uses his other one to guide your gaze to the right direction.

“Interesting. I’m going to swim down and have a look.”

“Before you do, listen to this,” he speaks up. “There was a strange type of magic power that managed to deflect my attack. It felt like illusory magic.”

“Illusory magic?” you wonder. “I don’t think anyone on that team used an illusion-based magic type on that big of a scale, though.”

“Exactly. See if you can feel what I’m talking about when you’re down there.”

“Alright,” you reply. “Are you staying up here?”

“Yes. I just need to stretch for a minute; flying makes my muscles sore.”

“Okay. Thanks for the ride, by the way – that was awesome. I don’t think I’ve ever felt so exhilarated before!”

He chuckles lightly and nods in your direction before pulling his left arm into a bent-shoulder stretch. You turn and hop into the water, once again not caring that your clothes are getting wet.

It’s a bit chillier out here, but it’s bearable. You summon a little black, rectangular disc that allows you to breathe into it. It works for about half an hour max before you have to recharge it with magical energy. It should last long enough for you to take a good look around.

You begin swimming down, noting that the water here is much clearer than it was at the beach. You think it’s because it’s not as close to civilization.

The sea floor looks normal, for the most part. You keep Acnologia’s words in mind as you keep swimming around, taking breaths through your magical disc when necessary.

He was right; there is some type of foreign magic here. Evidently, it can’t really be seen, but you can definitely feel something off here. You don’t think you could undo the spell, but it feels...

...temporary. Like it’s gradually being drained away by the second.

You frown and continue to investigate for a while until something catches your eye. It’s a bit sparkly in the refracted light, so it’s easy to pinpoint. You swim closer in its direction until you can see it clearly.

Lying on the sea floor is a white lacrima. Not just any lacrima, though – it has a wire plugged into it. Something is attached to the ends, but you can’t quite see it since the rest is stuck underneath a bit of sediment. You reach down and grab it, pulling it up.

It’s a pair of magic headphones – specifically, the Sound Pod model. They are round in shape with little spikes jutting out of the center. Something tells you that you should keep it, so you wrap the cable around the lacrima and put it in a safe pocket for now. You’ll see if you can find out who it belongs to later.

With that, you realize that your oxygen levels are getting pretty low, so you start swimming back up to the surface.

Once you break the water, you suck in a deep breath and take a moment to look around for Acnologia. He’s now sitting cross-legged on the makeshift platform with his eyes closed. He looks like he’s meditating, so you try to be as quiet as you can as you swim over to the solid magic platform and hoist yourself up, water dripping onto it.

“Did you find anything?” he asks, his voice distant.

“Just a music lacrima that I’m going to take a look at later,” you say, patting your pocket as you sit down. “And I sensed what you were talking about.”

“I thought you would.” He exhales deeply.

“What’s on your mind?’ you ask, sitting down across from him.

“I tried to murder everyone on that island,” he mumbles. “Why aren’t you angry?”

“I am angry,” you reply. “Like I said before, I don’t agree with what you did, and that’s something no one can ever change. But you still have a chance to change, and I hope you understand that.”

He’s looking down now.

“I get these episodes.”

You remain quiet and listen.

“I get dizzy and my head spins to the point where I can’t stand. My body becomes numb and I get this raging migraine. It throbs so much that I can’t think straight. I end up blacking out when it becomes too much to handle. And when I wake up, I have massacred. I have destroyed. Tenrou wasn’t necessarily a result of me passing out, but...” You notice that his voice is beginning to shake a bit while his fists are clenched tightly.

“Decades after I started using Acnologia’s name, I realized... I don’t even remember my own name. I don’t remember my family’s name. I don’t remember how to use my former magic. Everything about my old self was completely decimated when I changed.”

He’s still avoiding your gaze, so you cautiously walk over to him and place your hands on his cheeks, tilting his head up so he can look you in the eye.

“You were possessed. I don’t know if it was your dragon soul or something else, but I have a way to fix that,” you whisper, rubbing your thumbs on his skin gently as you gaze into his glassy eyes. “And we’ll figure out your name, okay?”

“How?”

“I don’t know just yet. We’ll find it. And if we can’t, we’ll get you a new one,” you reply, bringing your forehead to his. He brings a shaky hand up to wrap around your wrist.

“I don’t want to live like this anymore,” he confesses.

“I know, Acnologia. You don’t have to. You’re starting over, remember?”

Acnologia nods. “What about after this month is over?”

“We’ll figure it out, alright? Just think about it. You don’t have to make a decision immediately, but we’ll get you settled, okay? You just have to trust me.”

“Okay.” He releases a breath, so you give him a bit of space. “Thank you.”

* * *

_ **dye ‘em black** _

_ **dye ‘em black** _

* * *

Days had passed since the two of you were at the ocean. Ever since, he had continued to teach you magic. Now, you’re both in Crocus, heading towards its library.

“What types of books do you like?” you question suddenly.

“I like a variety,” he answers.

“Same here, but I prefer...” you tell him your all-time favorite genre.

“Suits you,” he states.

Crocus is rather busy today, since the rain stopped a few days ago. Before you and your friend had ventured to the outskirts of the town, he had confessed that he was nervous around large crowds of people due to his blackouts. You told him that you would need to bring him into town in order to help him with the possession issue, and that if he did you would snap him out of it some way.

Your method of preventing any future possessions would be to make him get an anti-possession tattoo. It was of a symbol that was very effective in repelling spirits. You had one on yourself that prevented your inner devil from completely gaining control.

He agreed to get it earlier in the morning, so the two of you arrived at the tattoo parlor and each got one. You showed the artist a picture of the one he needed and the new one you were going to get. It went well and didn’t take too long.

As the two of you enter the library, you’re greeted by several employees. Passing them, you two head to the back, where you know you’ll find an enormous selection of books about nearly all types of known magic.

“Let me know when you start to get hungry, and we can go grab some lunch,” you note, smiling. He nods and begins looking around and you do the same.

At one point, you had convinced him to at least buy and put on a plain shirt (much to your dismay) in public at the very least. The last thing the two of you needed was attention. Not that you blamed anyone for staring, because damn he was fine.

You browse for a few minutes and pick a few books out. After a while, you walk to the other side of the library and go to reach a certain book that catches your eye. Instead, you accidentally bump into someone next to you.

“Oh, I’m sorry-” you begin, only to lock eyes with who you were next to.

“That’s quite alright,” none other than Rogue Cheney himself states, giving you a small smile. “Fancy seeing you here,” he says your name, “what brings you to Crocus?”

Rogue Cheney is your dragon slayer equivalent and one of your closest friends. The two of you met when you crossed paths with the Twin Dragons on a mission a few years back. Upon discovering the two of you were dragon-devil slayer equals, you instantly got along. Sting, on the other, could get on your nerves, but he was friendly for the most part. His constant flirting gets on your nerves, but other than that he’s a pretty likeable guy when he’s not sucking up to his master or straight up being an asshole.

Not to your surprise, to the left of Rogue is a familiar lanky man with unmistakable long, blond hair.

“Hello, Rufus. It’s been a while,” you say, offering the pair a little grin.

Rufus nods slightly and tips his hat forward, his masked eyes crinkling a bit. “Ah, greetings,” he says your name. “It has indeed, hm? What brings you all the way to Crocus?”

“I was just traveling with a friend. We, uh, decided to start training for the Games early this year, and we thought we’d take a quick rest here for a day or two.”

“Seems like fun. Hm, I wish our master would let us all get a hard start on training,” Rogue admits, looking down a bit.

“I might be able to convince him. Oh,” a familiar voice says your name, “what a surprise!”

Your face lights upon laying eyes on the newcomer.

“Minerva!”

Yep, Minerva Orland was one of your other closest friends. You had met her when the two of you were doing a photo shoot for Sorcerer Weekly for top female wizard. Her magic had always intrigued you, and that went for her as well.

However, you knew about her past and despised Jiemma – for what he had done to her and for how he treated his guild. You weren’t big on the whole friendship-beats-everything bullcrap but you don’t think guilds should work solely based on power. The other part that grated on your nerves was how Minerva acted around him; her entire personality did an entire one-eighty and she hid her true personality behind a cruel and unforgiving mask.

Your thoughts are interrupted when you hear a little voice call your name.

“You’re back! You’re back! Fro is so happy to see you again!”

Your heart melts as you spy little Frosch waddling up to you, his arms outstretched. A big grin is plastered on his face. You laugh and swoop him up in your arms, squeezing him in a tight hug.

“Hey, Fro! How’ve you been?” you question.

“Fro has been awesome! Fro is glad you’re here!”

Another laugh escapes you as you continue to hold Frosch and catch up with the other wizards.

A few minutes pass until you feel a cold hand on your shoulder.

“Hey,” you say, looking towards Acnologia.

“Hey. What’s this?”

“These are my friends from Sabertooth,” you reply before you realize you can’t really say his name out loud. You don’t think Rogue knows exactly who he is since he’s never caught Acnologia’s scent when he was in dragon form.

You do your best to make up a believable name on the fly.

“Guys, this is my partner Alexander.”

“Partner?” Minerva mumbles, giving you a smug look before bumping your shoulder so that you’re knocked into Acnologia’s chest. You glare at her once you regain her balance.

“Good to meet you, Alexander,” Rufus replies. “I’m Rufus Lore, a memory make mage. This is Minerva Orland, who specializes in spatial magic. That’s Rogue Cheney, our very own shadow dragon slayer. And finally, that’s Frosch, Rogue’s exceed.”

“Nice to meet you,” Acnologia says slowly, his eyes darting from wizard to wizard. You can tell he’s on edge, and you think it’s because Rogue is here.

“What kind of magic do you specialize in?” Minerva asks.

“He’s also a dragon slayer,” you cut in.

“Really? What element?” Rogue questions.

“Apocalypse,” you answer without missing a beat.

“Really? Interesting,” Rufus says. “I don’t recall reading about an apocalypse dragon slayer.”

“He’s not fond of the public, so his name doesn’t really get around,” you say. “Honestly, I’m not either.”

“Sting just called,” Rogue speaks up, holding a lacrima. “He’s waiting with the others at the diner.”

“Would you two like to join us for lunch once you’re done browsing?” Rufus asks, tilting his head a bit.

You look at Acnologia, and he nods in return despite seeming tense.

“Excellent. Are the two of you done browsing?” Minerva asks, looking at the two of you for confirmation.

“Are you done?” you ask, glancing at Acnologia, who nods.

“I am too. We’d love to join you.”

The group rejoices, and after a few moments you reluctantly hand Frosch back to Rogue. Once they all turn around, you discreetly grasp Acnologia’s hand in yours, squeezing it to comfort him. He smiles and returns the squeeze.

Surprisingly, he doesn’t let go and neither do you.

…

You groan as soon as you hear Sting yelling your name obnoxiously.

“Shut up, moron,” Rogue says, folding his arms and narrowing his eyes.

“C’mon, lighten up, man!” Sting replies.

The diner you all were at was a rather large one, but still cozy. The six of you push together a few tables to make one large enough for the entire group.

Behind Sting are Yukino, Orga, and Lector. The three of them had apparently gone shopping while Rogue, Rufus, and Minever went to the library. You didn’t know Yukino that well since she only recently joined Sabertooth nor did you know Orga. You don’t seem to get along with god slayers all that well for some reason.

Frosch hops back into your lap as you all settle down at the table and begin talking.

“Hello, Mister Alexander!” Frosch says suddenly, his adorable smile still present.

“Hi,” Acnologia replies unsurely. A smile tugs at your lips as you watch the two interact.

“Do you have an exceed like Fro and Lector?”

“I do not.”

“Aw man! Well, that’s okay. I’m sure you’ll get one one day! And then Fro and Lector can play with your exceed all the time while you guys do your cool slayer stuff!”

Acnologia seems almost speechless for a moment, causing you to stifle your laughter.

“Yeah, maybe I will get one.”

As all of you place your orders and catch up, you find that Acnologia is gradually becoming less and less tense by the minute. He even joins in on the conversation at certain points and seems like he’s genuinely enjoying himself. You all talk until the sun begins to set and the employees begin gently ushering you all out.

“Man, that hit the spot!” Sting yells, rubbing his stomach.

“Fro thinks so too!”

“Do you two need a place to stay tonight?” Rufus asks.

“No, we were just going to get a hotel room,” you answer.

Sting whoops and waggles his hips, causing Rogue to slap him upside the head. You roll your eyes, thankful for your dragon slayer counterpart.

“Are you sure? It wouldn’t be a problem,” Rufus presses.

“It’s alright, Rufus. We appreciate the offer, though.”

“Alright, then. We’ll at least walk with you to the inn,” Minerva adds, her tone leaving no room for argument.

Once you all make it to the hotel, you stop at the entrance and start dishing out goodbyes.

“Bye Rogue,” you say, pulling him into a hug.

“We’ll see you at the games,” he replies as the two of you separate.

Minerva is next; she’s the one to initiate the death-grip hug that has you gasping for air.

“It was so good to see you. We really need to hang out more,” she says. “Keep in touch, alright?”

“I will,” you promise.

“Farewell,” Rufus says, tilting his hat once more. You wave goodbye to Yukino, Orga, Sting, and Lector.

Frosh is the last one. He waddles up to you and appears to be holding something behind his back.

“See you at the games, Fro. Take care of Rogue for me, alright?” you say, hugging him.

“Fro will! Also, Fro has a surprise for you and Mister Alexander!”

Acnologia raises an eyebrow but obliges when Frosch gestures for the two of you to kneel down.

“Close your eyes and hold out your hands, please!” Frosch instructs, so the two of you obey.

You feel something light being placed in your palm. When Frosch tells you to open your eyes, you find a small daisy resting in your hand.

Your heart melts and you laugh. “Thank you so much, Frosch! I love it!”

“You’re welcome! Do you like yours, Mister Alexander?”

Acnologia stares in mild shock at the plant before another one of his adorably shy smiles appears. “I love it. Thank you very much.”

“Yay! Hug?”

You choke on your own laughter as the bulky dragon picks the exceed up and awkwardly hugs him. After that, Rogue picks Frosch up and carries him as the group walks off. You and Acnologia wave to them as they go. Once they’re out of sight, the two of you turn to the hotel doors.

…

“I swear to the stars I asked for two beds.”

“I know you did. I heard you say it.”

You groan exasperatedly as you see a single bed in the hotel room. _This is so cliché._

“Whatever, I’m too tired to care. We can just share. I trust you not to try anything,” you say, throwing your bag on one of the chairs. Acnologia sets his cloak down and looks around.

“Anyways. How’d you like them?” you wonder.

He gives a brisk chuckle and runs his fingers through part of his hair. “They’re wild. I was wary of the two dragon slayers at first...but then I realized that they weren’t threats at all,” he says, looking away. “You were right about them.”

You smile, unable to help yourself. You walk over to him and hug his arm.

“I’m proud of you,” you admit. “Tonight was a big step for you, huh?”

“Yeah, it was. But it was worth it. It...it was fun.”

Your smile gets even bigger as you look up at him, only to find him staring back at you. Your cheeks heat up a bit as he shifts his arms so that he’s holding both of your elbows. Your chests are gently pressed together.

And then he leans closer.

Your heart begins pumping wildly as your face grows even hotter. He slides his hands up your arms, past your shoulders, and up your neck before he stops at your face. He cups your cheeks gently, causing butterflies to swirl in your tummy. At this point, the two of you are so close that you have to rest your hands on his chest.

“A...Acnologia?” you whisper, eyes wide.

He doesn’t reply as he moves his face closer and brings his lips to yours. You freeze for a moment as your brain takes a moment to process what’s happening. You can feel him pressing your face to his. Eventually, you close your eyes and kiss him back, moving your arms to wrap around his neck.

Soon, the two of you pull apart slowly, eyes opening and staring into his lovely green orbs.

“Thank you,” he whispers, moving his hands to your waist. “Thank you for giving me a second chance.”

You’re too overwhelmed to answer, so you kiss him again, hoping he can sense your answer.

Once the two of you pull apart, he presses his forehead against yours, staring into your eyes as he holds you in his arms. “I can never thank you enough for what you’re doing.”

“You don’t have to,” you reply.

He smiles and chuckles a little bit, brushing a bit of hair behind your ear. “You’re incredible. Absolutely incredible.”

“You’re wonderful too, you know,” you retort, laughing a bit.

After a few minutes of kisses and sweet words, you end up going about your nightly routine before lying in bed.

Acnologia climbs into bed, his shirt off again. You blush and avert your gaze.

He loops his arm around you, and you turn to face him. He kisses you one last time before he shuts off the light and the two of you fall asleep.

* * *

_ **black** _

_ **black** _

_ **black** _

_ **black** _

_ **no. 1** _

* * *

The rest of the month passes faster than you wanted it to. It had been absolutely amazing; the days were filled with training, magic, kisses, cuddles, and more.

In fact, you’re greatly saddened by the fact that the two of you are now standing at the door of your home back in Magnolia.

“Do you want to stay?” you ask, your hands in his.

“I need some time to think,” he replies, squeezing your hands gently. “I’m going to stay around here for a while. I still don’t know what I’m going to do just yet.”

“Alright. Promise you’ll visit?” you ask.

“Of course,” he answers.

“Okay. You’re always welcome if you need somewhere to stay,” you state, looping your arms around his neck as he brings you in for another kiss.

“Thank you. I’ll drop by tomorrow. Get some rest, love.”

“You too. Are you sure you don’t want to stay here for the night?”

“I’m just going to go hike for a while,” he answers. “I’ll see you tomorrow.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> thanks for reading!!!!!!!! Lmk what you think


	3. iii

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> UwU

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Alright, there IS a smut scene later on in this chapter, but by no means do you have to read it. I understand that some people are not comfortable with that kind of thing or are younger. I highly discourage people at and under the age of 14 from reading it, but I know I can't stop you if you do anyway. The reader is in her 20s in this fic, btw. Idk if I've mentioned that yet.
> 
> It is skippable and happens at the very end, so once you see the XXX then feel free to stop reading. It does not contribute to the plot in any way, so you're not missing anything.
> 
> This is actually my first smut so I have no idea how it turned out. I was thinking about it and I thought there was something lacking in their emotional connection bc they've known each other by months by that point. I thought it would be a good way to further their emotional connection, and plus I've been wanting to try my hand at sex scenes for a while now. I got stuck at the very end, at about 6700 words and I couldn't think of a way to add anymore plot stuff. So boom.
> 
> I am not saying that relationships should be solely based on sex, because they shouldn't. The reader and Acnologia have a healthy relationship in which they are both supporting and helping each other with their personal goals, and you will be able to see that character development later in the story. You can obviously see some of the effects now, as a matter of fact.
> 
> Other than that, this chapter is pretty much a filler before the GMG.
> 
> Anyways, hope you all had a good holiday season and all that!

* * *

**_loving you was like loving the dead_ **

**_loving you was like loving the dead_ **

**_was like loving the dead_ **

* * *

“You’re back!” Romeo yells when you enter your guild. “How was it?”

“It went well,” you admit, smiling a little.

“You look a lot stronger! Tell me about it! Tell me about it!”

“Calm down, son, she just got back,” Macao adds, walking up with Bisca, Alzack, and the rest. “How’d it go?”

“Really well,” you answer.

“Good. We’re glad you got back safely,”  Bisca replies, a smiling gracing her face.

“Thanks. Oh, I wanted to ask you guys something really quick,” you start, rummaging around in one of your cloak’s pockets. You pull out the object of your interest.

“Do you all recognize these?”

The magic headphones rest in your palm. You had shuffled through the lacrima, but had failed to find any name associated with it.

The members’ eyes widen upon viewing them.

“Where did you find those?” Wakaba asks.

“Uh...really  close to where  Tenrou was. They were on the sea floor.”

“Damn it,” Macao mumbles, raising his hand to his forehead.

“What is it?” you ask.

“Those belonged to Makarov’s grandson, Laxus,”  Kinana speaks up.

“Dreyar, right? The stuck-up lightning mage?”

“That’s the one,” Macao states, taking the  lacrima from your hands. “Did you ever run into him?”

“No, but I heard about him from one of my dragon  slayer friends,” you say, remembering one of your travels with the Twin Dragons a few months back. Sting had been talking about wanting to fight Laxus once he and Rogue defeated Natsu and  Gajeel .

“He went back for the master,”  Bisca realizes.

“He still cared.”

“Why wouldn’t he care?” you ask cluelessly. “Will someone  _ please  _ fill me in?”

Wakaba steps up for this one. “Laxus had some serious family issues. You know the master of Raven Tail?”

“You mean that fucker Ivan?!” you spit, posture straightening. You had had a few run-ins with that loser, and they weren’t pretty.

“Yes. Ivan is Laxus’ father, and Makarov’s son,” Bisca explains.

“Oof. Poor kid,” you mumble.

“Yep. Ivan was actually a part of this guild for a while. He eventually got so obsessed with power to the point where you could label him a complete and total megalomaniac. We’re not sure if this is true or not, but Makarov suspected Ivan was abusing Laxus during his preteen years. His mom had passed away when he was born, so Ivan was the only one he thought he could turn to. His body was weak when he was little, though, so Ivan illegally implanted a lightning dragon slayer lacrima in him in order to ‘save’ him. As the years went on, though, Makarov found out that Ivan was planning on harvesting the nurtured  lacrima once Laxus was older,”  Alzack explains.

“That’s horrible,” you state, frowning.

“I know. And it doesn’t stop there. At the time, Makarov was about to expel Ivan, but ended up waiting just because he didn’t want to upset Laxus. The kid was pretty...angsty, to say the least. He was at the point in life where he really needed some kind of father figure.”

“What pushed Makarov over the edge?”

“Ivan believed Makarov was hiding a secret about Fairy  Tail that involved powerful magic. It got to the point where Ivan was threatening and hurting other guild members, so Makarov had to excommunicate him.”

“Damn,” you mumble.

“Yep. Laxus was still upset about the whole and just got even edgier after that. So, fast forward a few years. Laxus ended up with the Thunder Legion – a three-man team consisting of wizards with strong eye magic alongside their primary magic. They all kind of got distant from the rest of the guild for months, so we assumed they were just off doing their own thing. But we were wrong.”

“As it turns out,” Macao interjects, “they were actually planning the Battle of Fairy  Tail . Freed had cast enchantment runes all over the city, and many of us were forced to fight each other in order to determine who was the strongest. Long story short, Laxus was starting to get his ass beat by Natsu and  Gajeel , so he tried to cast Fairy Law – a spell that enables its caster to inflict massive harm on the victim. In some cases, it can even kill mass amounts of people. It entirely depends on the situation.”

“The spell ended up failing, but the damage was done. His grandfather excommunicated him from the guild. We haven’t seen him since,” Bisca finishes.

“ So, this proves he went to  Tenrou before it was destroyed,” you note.

“Yep. Boy must’ve had a change of heart.” Wakaba sighs.

“I think you should keep these for now,” Macao says, handing you the  lacrima back.

“Why?”

“I don’t know, it just feels right. Take them. Who knows – maybe you’ll be able to give them back to Laxus yourself.”

You hesitate, but reluctantly tuck the  lacrima away in your pocket.

“Now can you tell us about your travels?!” Romeo pleads.

You roll your eyes affectionately. “Fine. Sit down, squirt.”

With that, the guild quiets down and listens as you  recite your story.

…

You release a heavy sigh, walking up to the porch of your house. You unlock the door hastily and step inside, kicking off your shoes and peeling your cloak off.

“There you are,” comes his voice. You can’t help but smile as  Acnologia wraps his arms around your waist, nuzzling his nose into the side of your face.

“Hey,” you reply, turning to look at him. “How was your day?”

“Alright. Yours?”

“Pretty good.”

“Glad to hear it,” he responds. You turn around  to quickly peck his lips before you walk towards the kitchen.

“I think I know what I want to do,” he says, following you.

“Oh yeah? What are you thinking?”

“What was that one guild you were talking about?” he asks. “The one that’s against Zeref?”

“You mean Crime Sorciere?”

“Yes, that one. I decided that, while I do want to finish learning healing magic, I also want to fight for something. I thought that going against  Zeref himself would be a good way to start atoning, too,” he explains.

“That sounds perfect,” you note. “I’ll see if I can track down  Jellal , their leader. Meanwhile, you can live here and start looking for a school of healing.”

He smiles and hugs you. You chuckle lightly, reaching up to thread your fingers through his long hair.

“Thank you,” he mumbles, his face in the crook of your neck.

“You’re welcome,” you reply.

You never thought you would meet someone like Acnologia. For the longest time, you thought you were destined to defeat demons and work alone. Having someone by your side like this is what you never knew you needed.

…

** [Three Weeks Later] **

The past few weeks, although uneventful, were some of the best times you’ve had – aside from your training session with  Acnologia , of course. You fell into a simple schedule:

You would wake up in the arms of your lover. The two of you would cuddle for as long as you could. Then, he would help you cook breakfast, and you would eat out on your porch, enjoying the scenery of the forest and chatting about whatever was on your minds. After that, you would both get ready for the day.

Acnologia had actually been accepted into a medical school of healing, much to your delight. He had cut his hair (short hair on him was even sexier than you had imagined), bought himself a few business-like outfits, and he had gotten a job around his campus so that he could make money while he was growing accustomed to his new life. Every time you came home from a job injured (even with the slightest cut or bruise!) he would practice his magic on you. At first, he was a bit shaky with it, but as he kept practicing, he was getting better.

While he was at school, you were off on jobs – either alone or with Romeo. You brought in most of the money and told  Acnologia not to worry about it until you talked to  Jellal , whom you had yet to catch  wind of.

And then, when you came back from your job and he returned from school, the two of you would have dinner together before spending much-needed time together before it was time for bed.

You loved falling asleep with him. He felt...safe. Like home.

You were happy. Truly happy. It was almost too good to be true.

Currently, you are lying in bed, your head on  Acnologia’s chest, listening to his heartbeat as his chest rises and falls with every breath he takes. You didn’t sleep well last night, and you’re not exactly sure why.

You sigh frustratedly before snuggling closer to your lover and closing your eyes, not wanting to get up yet. You gingerly lay your hands on his abdomen, tracing the outlines of his abs while sighing in bliss.

Acnologia squirms a bit from underneath you before you hear him groan. You tilt your head up so that you can look at him.

“Good morning,” you say.

“Morning, love,” he replies, his voice raspy as he shifts so that he’s hovering over you. You pull his head down to meets yours, and he takes the opportunity to press his lips against yours for a few seconds. You mentally sigh in happiness, your body immediately relaxing against his.

Once he pulls away, you feel his eyes flicking over your figure.

“Are you alright?” he asks, plopping down beside you and taking your hand.

“Yes. I just didn’t sleep very well,” you confess, rubbing your fingers over his knuckles.

“Why’s that?”

“I don’t know. I was too antsy, I think,” you say. “No matter. Let’s make some breakfast, yeah? I’m hungry.”

…

After the two of you finish eating and getting ready for the day,  Acnologia walks over to you by the door.

“Are you sure you’re okay? You seem rather quiet today,” he notes, once again holding your hand and looking down at you.

“Yeah, I’m okay. I just think...I feel like something’s going to happen today,” you admit, biting your lip.

“What do you think it is?” he wonders.

“I’m not sure. It’s okay, I’ll be alright. Now, you need to get to class!”

He chuckles. “Okay, okay. But seriously, call if you need anything, okay?”

You smile and nod. “I will.”

…

Magnolia itself seems far chattier today than it’s been in a while. You’re a bit suspicious, wondering what all the fuss is about. Despite your curiosity, you continue heading towards the guild.

Upon arriving, you find that there’s something...different about the guild today. There are unfamiliar voices emanating from the main hall. For a moment, you think that Twilight Ogre must have paid another visit.

But that’s not the case. Not at all.

You tentatively swing the doors open.

And you freeze in your place.

There are many more people here, more than there are normally. A group of them are in the middle of the guild, fighting. Many of them are sitting at tables, talking, and some of them are on the sides.

Then, you realize just who they are.

_ The  _ _ Tenrou _ _ team. They’re back. I don’t know how, but they’re back. _

Your eyes widen as multiple pairs of eyes fall upon you. Instinctively, you start backing away, your hand reaching for the doorknob.

Once it’s open, you race out, ignoring Romeo’s voice calling for you to come back.

…

You don’t stop running until you’re at your house. You stoop on your porch, trying to catch your breath.

Once your breathing levels out, you stand and look around.

But something’s off.

Immediately, the hairs on your skin stand, and you look around. Something is subtly crackling through the air, and you instantly recognize it as magic. You step off of your porch and look around.

The atmosphere grows to that of something tenser, a magic that just eludes your grasp. It comes,  spiraling down from the sky in a flashy but effective manner.

You jump out of the way just in time, avoiding the lightning bolt.

You can sense the mage now; he’s in the forest. Transforming into your shadow form, you zoom behind him and wrap your arm around his neck, solidifying yourself so that he’s thrown off balance by your weight. His arms immediately come to try and pry you off of him, but you maintain your hold and put your other arm on the back of his head so you can give yourself a bit of leverage. Then, you apply pressure by squeezing your arm. After holding the position, the stranger falls limp.

You finally get a good look at him. He’s a giant man with bulging muscles and electric, blond hair. You can see a tattoo pattern from the edge of his shirt.

“Damn...” you mutter. What are you going to do with him now?

“Guess you’re going in my basement.”

…

After a few minutes of you pulling and dragging the man into your basement, you chain him to the wall.

See, this isn’t the first time you’ve been attacked by a mage near your home. Since you were a Devil Slayer, demons often tracked you down. You became used to subduing them before restraining them in your basement so that you could pry information out of them.

You don’t think this guy is a  demon.  _ Yet _ _ . _

Sighing in annoyance, you gather up a few jugs of holy water before finding your silver knife as well as a bag of salt.

Now, you wait for him to wake up.

Now that you think about it, this guy has to be Laxus  Dreyar . He was a lightning mage, right? And he was the only one at the guild with lightning magic, so you assumed this was him.

You slide against the opposite wall and sit down, folding your arms as you silently wait for him to come to.

…

About an hour later, you catch his eyes twitching. Standing up, you grab one of the holy water containers and open it.

Then, you swing it forward and splash him.

As his eyes shoot open, he starts sputtering. You set the jug down for the time being.

“Rise and shine, fuckboy,” you state, crossing your arms.

“Who the hell are you?!” he spits, jerking on the chains his arms are attached to. “Where the fuck am I?!”

“Calm your tits, man.” You introduce yourself. “I’m a Devil Slayer. You’re in my basement.”

“Why?!”

“Because you followed me home and attacked me. That exhibits very demonic-like  behavior , you know. Happens all the time.”

“Yeah, because you have that bastard dragon’s scent all over you,” he growls. “What are you, his personal whore?!”

You angrily stand and grab your silver knife before kneeling down next to him and pressing the blade against his cheek.

“I swear to god, you’d better not be in Fairy  Tail . Otherwise, I’ll fucking kill you. Like he tried to do to us!” he yells.

You release an annoyed sigh, dragging the blade across his cheek to make a small cut. A bit of blood pools and starts dripping down his skin.

“Hm, seems a bit hypocritical, don’t you think?” you ask, remembering the story that Macao and the others had told you about him.

“What are you talking about?”

“This is all coming from a man that tried to kill his entire guild, right?”

_ That  _ shuts him up.

“That’s what I thought. You have no business judging him, Dreyar,” you retort, standing before you go to retrieve your bag of salt.

“What are you doing?”

“Testing you. You’ve passed the holy water and the silver knife test already.” You open the bag before throwing an unnecessary amount of salt in his face just to spite him for calling you a whore.

He spews out more curse words before you grab the jug of holy water again and pour some more over his face.

“Goddammit, stop it!”

“Then stop calling me a whore, because I’m not.”

You throw the container down before sitting down across from him again.

“So you’re not a demon or any other type of supernatural creature,” you mumble, a bit disappointed.

“I could have told you that myself!”

“I don’t trust people who follow and attack me.”

He sighs, leaning his head against the wall. “Fine. Look, are you part of the guild or not?”

“I am.”

Laxus groans. “Okay, then. We obviously got off on the wrong foot.”

“Yes. Now, you are Laxus Dreyar, right?”

“I am. What was your name, again?”

You repeat it.

“Do you get attacked by demons often?” he asks.

“Yes. Now, if you promise not to attack me, I will unchain you. We will go upstairs, I will make some tea, and I will explain to you why I am with Acnologia. Then, you will tell me why you tried to murder your guildmates. If you attack me, know that I will not hesitate to stab the shit out of you,” you say, a dark aura emanating from your figure as you glare at him.

“Fair enough. I promise I won’t attack you.”

“There we go,” you say before you stand and undo the chains. He stands, rubbing his  wrists as you walk out.

“Follow me.”

…

You throw a dry kitchen towel at him before you quickly get to making tea.

“How do you know Acnologia?” he asks, standing near the kitchen.

“He approached me and asked me to fight one day,” you say.

“In his dragon form?”

“Nope. He has a human form,” you answer, picking the mugs up before walking out into the dining room table.

“Hm. Bet he’s ugly as shit.”

“Not as ugly as you.”

He rolls his eyes as you set the cup down. He mumbles his thanks before he takes a sip.

“So, you fought him? Why did you accept?”

“He seemed powerful and I wanted a challenge.”

“Did you win?”

“We tied, but only because we got interrupted by the Council.”

His eyes widen suddenly. “You...you’re telling me that you’re equal in power to  Acnologia ?”

“Yep.”

“Damn,” he sighs. “Why did you stick with him?”

“Before I answer that, tell me something,” you set your mug down, looking him straight in the eye. “How did you feel after casting Fairy Law, hm?”

To your surprise, Laxus doesn’t evade the question. “For lack of a better phrase, I felt like shit. I felt terrible. I still do. I know I can’t make up for what I did, and that’s what kills me.”

You nod, humming lightly. “So how do you think Acnologia feels?”

His eyes widen before he gets angry again. “Are you seriously comparing me to that monster?! Unlike me, he has actually  _ slaughtered _ people.”

“That doesn’t change the fact that you tried to kill them,” you point out. “Listen, dude. I’m not here to shame you for your past. I assume at this point you have learned your lesson and are trying to fix your flaws in an attempt to work towards forgiveness. My question to you is: do you truly think you deserve to be forgiven? Do you even want your guildmates to forgive you? Can you ever make up for what you’ve done?”

“I get it,” he mumbles, averting his gaze. “I take it you’re saying all of this because Acnologia is trying to change too?”

“Yes, he is. And he’s made a lot of progress, but he still has a long way to go,” you say, closing your eyes.

Laxus falls silent before he groans. “Fine. Here’s the deal. I’ll keep your secret for now. You’re lucky none of the other dragon slayers caught his scent. They were too busy fighting each other earlier to notice. But listen closely – if things get out of control with him, I won’t hesitate to reach out to the Council.”

“Alright. So, are we cool?” you ask, leaning back in your chair.

“For now, I guess so.”

You nod before standing and walking over to your cabinet and searching it for his headphones.

“ Acnologia took me to  Tenrou Island’s general area once,” you note, recalling the memory with a small smile. “I had a look around and found this. I think it belongs to you.”

You wrap the cord around the  lacrima and toss it to him. He catches it with one hand, and you watch as his eyes widen in shock.

“I forgot about these,” he mumbles, wrapping them around his neck. “Thanks.”

You nod your head, grinning a little bit. “You know, your choice in music is actually pretty solid.”

He smirks, placing his folded hands behind his head. 

“I know.”

After that, you two continue to talk for a while. You’re actually quite liking his company so far; aside from his stuck-up and cocky personality, he seems pretty laid-back and funny.

A few minutes later, however, a knock emanates from your door. You stand, going to answer as Laxus takes a moment to stretch his arms.

Thankfully, Romeo is the only one at the door.

“What is it?” you ask, stepping aside to let him in.

“You need to meet everyone! Stop being antisocial!” he eyes Laxus, who is smirking slightly again with folded arms. “Wait, why are you here?”

“She kidnapped me.”

“What?! That’s not nice!” Romeo says, frowning. You roll your eyes.

“Whatever. He attacked me first, so I don’t feel too bad.”

Romeo shakes his head before grabbing your hand. “Come on, you need to introduce yourself!”

“I think Freed might like you,” Laxus interjects, standing. “He’s quiet too. Oh, and don’t forget to cast some type of scent-masking spell.”

“I’ll just throw some strong perfume on for now...”

“You wear perfume? I’ve never smelled it,” Romeo comments.

“I don’t ever wear it,” you correct. “I got a bottle as a reward for a quest I took a few months ago. I guess it is coming in handy.”

“Why do you have to mask your smell?” Romeo asks, looking up at you.

“Long story. Anyways, are you ready?”

“Yeah! Come on, let’s go!”

…

“YOU WANT A PIECE OF ME, YOU RANDOM DICK FACE?!”

“I’LL TEAR YOUR ARMS OUT OF THEIR SOCKETS AND BEAT YOU SHITLESS WITH THEM, YOU PATHETIC LOSER!”

“THAT’S NOT HOW A REAL MAN FIGHTS!”

“GAJEEL, YOU’RE SUCH A SHOOBY-DOO-SHIT!”

You blink a few times, standing at the entrance of the guild as a brawl occurs on the floor in front of you.

“Um...” you trail off, at a loss for words.

“Over there, let’s go talk to Gramps!” Romeo yells, tugging your arm along.

“Slow down, I’m coming!”

“Gramps, Gramps!” Romeo shouts over the chaos unfolding in the center. “Someone else joined while you guys were away!”

You spy a small, elderly man sitting on the counter of the bar, sipping a mug of beer. He opens a single eye, looking at you.

“Well hello there,” Makarov states, smiling. “Who are you?”

You introduce yourself.

“She’s a Devil Slayer!” Romeo adds excitedly. “She’s super strong, too!”

“Really? I never thought I would see one in my day,” he notes. “I’m Makarov  Dreyar , the master of this crazy guild. Nice to meetcha!”

“Uh,  same here,” you respond, smiling awkwardly.

“Oh! Oh! Gramps, you  _ have  _ to put her on the Grand Magic Games team!” Romeo continues rambling on  while you stand there awkwardly. It seems Laxus has gone somewhere for the time being.

“Well, hello there! You’re new, right? What’s your name?” comes a cheery, unfamiliar voice.

You turn to the bar, where there’s a stunning, white-haired woman there. She has a pleasant smile plastered on her face.

“Hi,” you respond. Something about the woman makes you wary, though. Nevertheless, you introduce yourself.

“Nice to meet you! I’m  Mirajane Strauss, the bartender.”

The name rings a bell and you instantly relax – you recall reading an article about her magic in Sorcerer Weekly. She’s the Satan Soul takeover mage. Pretty cool stuff, but it always had a tendency to trigger your demon senses.

“Oh,” you say, chuckling. “I actually heard about you from Halphas.”

Her eyes widen for a moment before she laughs. “Ah, you must be that rogue Devil Slayer, then. I’ve been wanting to meet you for years, actually!”

You nod. “Same here. I was hunting down a demon and somehow met  Halphas through a ritual a friend of mine screwed up.” You sigh. “That was not a good day.”

She laughs loudly. “I’m glad  Halphas is still passive to Devil Slayers.”

The two of you talk for a while until you’re approached a by another woman. She has long, scarlet hair and chocolate-colored eyes. Her metallic breastplate shimmers dully in the light as she crosses her gauntlet-encased arms and smiles.

“You must be new,” she comments.

Mirajane nods from beside you and tells her your name. “She’s a Devil Slayer.”

“Intriguing. I’m  Erza Scarlet, an S-class requip mage here. Very nice to make your acquaintance.”

With that, you end up talking to those two for a while before yet another new face interrupts your conversation.

“FIGHT ME, WHOEVER YOU ARE!” yells a rowdy  pinkette , fire wrapped around his fists.

“No,” you reply.

Erza rolls her eyes before simply smacking him in the head, causing him to apologize and beg for mercy.

“Shut up and introduce yourself,” she states.

“Natsu  Dragneel , fire dragon slayer.”

“That’s Gray Fullbuster over there. Next to him is Lucy  Heartfilia . He’s an ice-make mage, and she’s a celestial spirit wizard.” The  requip mage points to a half-naked guy currently talking to a young, blonde-haired woman.

Your attention, however, is cast to the male. He’s got dark hair and deep blue eyes, but something about him – his magic – seems...oddly familiar. You notice a necklace in the shape of a cross or a sword hanging from his neck.

Curiosity piqued and awkwardness forgotten to the time being, you find yourself walking towards him and tapping him on the shoulder once you approach him.

“Hey,” you start. He turns around.

“Uh, hey. Can’t say I’ve seen you around here before,” Gray notes, his attention on you now.

“Are you new here?” asks the blonde – Lucy.

“Yes. I couldn’t help but recognize that necklace. It just looks really familiar and it’s bugging me,” you state, pointing to it. “What does it mean?”

He fingers the charm and looks down. “I’m not too sure myself. All I know is that it was a gift from my mother before she passed. I remember my father telling me to never take it off, so I didn’t,” he replies. “What exactly is familiar about it?”

“Just the shape,” you reply. “And the color of the gem...I can’t quite remember where I’ve seen it before.”

“That’s odd,” he agrees. “Yeah, I don’t know for sure where it came from, though.”

“Hm. Okay. Sorry, that was kind of weird.” You introduce yourself to the two.

“That’s okay. Good to see a new face around here,” Gray says.

“Yeah!” Lucy adds. “What kind of magic do you use?”

“I’m just a Devil Slayer,” you reply.

“Interesting. I don’t think any of the other guilds have Devil Slayers, do they?”

“Not to my knowledge.”

“That’s really cool,” Lucy compliments, smiling.

“Thanks.”

“Mind if I ask how you ended up joining?” the ice mage questions.

“I rescued Romeo from a dark guild that was kidnapping kids to exploit their magical abilities a few months ago,” you say, recalling that day with a bitter frown. “They invited me to join, and at the time I needed more jobs...so I did.”

“Well, we’re really glad you’re here!” Lucy chirps.

“It’s been...fun,” you say, smiling lightly.

“Alright, listen up, brats!” booms a loud voice.

Makarov announces that he is retiring and that his successor will be  Gildarts Clive. In his place, however, is a letter being held by  Mirajane , who reads it. Laxus is readmitted and Makarov is reappointed, to which he whines about.

A while later, Macao also brings up the issue of the Grand Magic Games, to which Makarov selects the team of  Erza , Natsu, Wendy, Lucy, and Gray. You catch some of the questioning and disappointed faces of the other members, though, so you think there must be more to it than that.

Sure enough, a while later, Makarov calls you as well as a few other wizards to his office. These wizards are Laxus,  Gajeel , and  Mirajane . Makarov states that you all are being put on Fairy  Tail Team B along with  Mystogan – who is actually Jellal. You don’t have a problem with that, though, because you’ve been trying to track  Jellal down for a while.

“Are you kidding me?! I don’t want anything to do with that big, stupid freakshow!” Gajeel yells.

“Well, I don’t have any objection. But getting put on the B team is kind of insulting, though,” Laxus adds.

“Then what if I sweeten the deal, yes! The members of the winning team get to do whatever they want to the losing team for one entire day,” Makarov proposes.

“That sounds to me like it’s more of a punishment game for the ones on the bottom...”

You observe as the members think about what they would do with that kind of power. The evil expressions on their faces are amusing.

“Whatever we want, huh?”

“One whole day...?”

“That could be pretty sweet!”

You roll your eyes. “Why are you putting me on the team? For all you know I could be the weakest one here.”

Makarov chuckles. “That’s not what Macao and Romeo have told me. Besides, I’m very curious to see how a Devil Slayer compares to both Dragon and God Slayers.”

“Trust me. We’re way better,” you mumble, crossing  your arms with a smirk.

“Nah, team Dragon Slayer for the win,” Gajeel snickers.

“I’ll take the L on this one,” you hear Laxus murmur, which makes your smirk even wider.

“We’ll see,” Makarov replies, chuckling lightly. “For now, you all need to train. And not a word of this to the A team, you hear?”

…

You sigh, kicking the door to your house open. Today had been filled with too much socializing, and now you just wanted to cuddle with  Acnologia and eat junk food for the rest of the night.

“Acnologia,” you groan. “Are you home?”

“Yes, love,” comes his voice and you instantly smile when he appears in the doorway. You fling yourself at him.

“I missed you,” you mumble, laying your head on his chest as he envelops you in his arms. You love coming home to him.

He had been at the table; you could tell because he had several textbooks and notebooks open.

“Exam?” you ask, looking up at him.

“In a few days, yes,” he answers, nuzzling his nose into your neck again. You sigh as he does so, loving the feeling of him being so close.

“You’ll do well, I know you will,” you say.

“I hope so. This unit is pretty tricky, so I’m not sure...”

You silence him with a deep kiss, to which he reacts by moving his hands to your hips, pulling you so that your back is against his chest. He continues to hold you in this position for a while until he speaks.

“How was your day?” he asks you, his nose pressed against the side of your face.

“It was alright. The  Tenrou team is back,” you say, eyes half-closed.

“Really? I wonder how they were protected for all those years,” he says.

“I don’t know. I’ll see if I can find out later, because I want to know too.”

He’s silent for a moment, but you can tell he’s thinking about something.

“What’s on your mind?”

“I was thinking,” he says, bringing you to your couch, where he sits down with you on his lap. You shift so that you’re facing him, straddling him. “I want to take you out tonight.”

A smile appears on your lips as you lift a hand to his cheek. “Really? Where?”

“Wherever you want,” he answers.

A short laugh escapes you as you drape your arms around his neck. “I don’t know...what sounds good?”

“You said you were craving...” he says one of your favorite foods.

“Ooh, that sounds perfect. Are you okay with that?” you ask.

“Yes.”

“Okay, then. Let me shower and get changed before we go.”

…

The two of you are walking along the sidewalk holding hands, with your arms pressed together. You’re enjoying listening to the quiet hum of activity drifting through Magnolia as the light breeze rustles your hair.

“It’s nice out tonight,” Acnologia mumbles, smiling.

“It is, hm?” you reply.

You decide that you’ll talk to him about the Grand Magic Games over dinner. Right now, it seems the two of you are content just walking together in silence.

Soon enough, the small restaurant comes into view, and your dragon drags you inside.

…

“Guess what!” you say after the two of you have placed your orders.

“What?”

“I’m participating in the Grand Magic Games this year,” you say, smiling a little. “I was wondering if you would want to travel to Crocus with me?”

Acnologia smiles and reaches for your hand, which you grab. “That’s awesome.  Of course I will. When is it?”

“Not for a few months, but we’re being expected to train. I was thinking we could head to Crocus a few days early, just so we could spend some time together before it starts.”

“I would like that,” he replies. “Where are you going to train?”

“I don’t know yet,” you admit before lowering your voice. “But I also heard that  Jellal Fernandes is taking the place of Mystogan, so I’ll be able to talk to him, too.”

“Really? That’s great,” he says. “I’m happy for you. You’re going to kick ass.”

“I hope so.”

“I know you will. Don’t be nervous, alright? I’m going to be with you all the way.”

“I know.”

From there, the topic transitions to his upcoming exam, which he admits he is nervous about. But, from how hard he’s been studying lately, you know he’s going to ace it.

Then your food arrives and you dig in, not recalling your favorite food ever tasting  _ this  _ good.

…

“Thank you for that,” you say as the two of you exit the restaurant, his arm linked with yours.

“You’re welcome,” he replies, placing a small kiss on the tip of your nose. “Let’s go get some ice cream.”

A sudden surge of confidence swells over you as a smirk crosses your lips and you lean up to his ear.

In your most seductive voice, you whisper:

“That’s a shame. I was going to give you dessert when we got home.”

A moment of silence ensues before both of you burst out laughing.

“I’m sorry,” you say through heavy breaths. “That was so bad!”

“It was,” he agrees. “That was priceless.”

As the two of you make your way to the ice cream stand stationed close to a park, where a few kids are playing. You get your favorite flavor while  Acnologia sticks with plain vanilla.

Eventually, the two of you find a  spot on a nearby hill underneath a tiny tree. You have a good view of the playground here as well as a bit of Magnolia’s market.

You find yourself leaning your head on his shoulder, sighing contentedly. The sun is beginning to set now, so the sky is spattered with gorgeous hues of yellow, orange, and red.

“What’s on your mind?” you ask softly.

He shrugs. “A  little bit of everything, honestly. Mostly, I’m still trying to process that this is my new life.”

“It hasn’t been too big a change, has it?” you ask, looking up at him.

“No, it hasn’t,” he replies. “It’s odd to be back out in society...working, learning...living. Not fighting for survival or killing.”

You hum in response, tightening your hand around his. “I get it. Please let me know if it’s too much.”

“It’s not. School is hard, yeah, but healing magic is difficult to understand in general,” he assures. “I just can’t believe I’m living with such an incredible woman.”

His words make you fuzzy inside, so you cuddle up to him further.

“What about you? What are you thinking about?” he asks.

“I love having you around,” you confess, face flushing a bit as you look down at the grass, sifting your fingers through it. “I don’t think I’ve ever been happier.”

“I’m glad to hear that.”

…

Soon enough, the two of you are back home.

“Thank you for tonight,” you say, referring to how he had paid for everything (much to your dismay). “I really enjoyed it.”

“Good,” he says, running his fingers through your hair. “I enjoyed it too.”

You eye his books on the table and frown. “Do you still need to study?”

“Yes,” he answers, releasing you.

“Want me to help?”

“I’d love that.”

…

Because the Grand Magic Games were one of the hottest events of the year for Fiore, you decided you would go ahead and book somewhere to stay. You decided you wouldn’t be staying at the same hotel as Fairy  Tail since you and  Acnologia would be leaving early. Makarov was fine with that when you spoke to him about it, so that worked out well.

Laxus also invited you to travel with him and the Thunder Legion in order to train for the Games, but you had declined saying that you and  Acnologia had already formed a plan to train together.

Which wasn’t entirely a lie, but also wasn’t entirely true, either; you and  Acnologia began sparring daily after he came home from school. He continued teaching you his magic, too.

In fact, you were able to restructure his magic in a way that seemed entirely new so that the other people in your guild wouldn’t recognize his magic. Namely, the spatial aspect of his magic was what you were good with. You now have an even wider array of spells, essentially.

A month or two later, you were noticing a change in your general physique; you were becoming stronger and stronger with every session. Your muscles were developing quite nicely and you couldn’t help but be proud of yourself and how far you had come.

Those few months with  Acnologia only deepened your relationship with him, too. You were getting to know him on an intimate emotional level, just as he was with you.

You learned how, despite his stoic exterior, he had a deeply-set fear of dragons.

You learned how he had witnessed the murder of a little girl.

You learned about the whelm of PTSD he bottled up.

And in turn, he learned a lot about you as well. Your fears, habits, all the little things.

Not all of it had been smooth, but you two were able to work out all of the minor disagreements and petty things pretty quickly. One particular incident made you convince him to at least see a therapist on his campus.

You had awoken early one morning to find  Acnologia curled up in the corner of your shared room, his hands on the sides of his head, eyes squeezed shut. Immediately you were worried that he might be having one of his blackouts, so you were at his side trying to snap him out of it.

At one point, you had managed to coax him into opening his eyes, and from the glazed look in his green orbs you could tell that this wasn’t a blackout episode, no.

He had been hallucinating.

Quietly, you called his name and cradled his head in your arms as you ran your fingertips in his hair and gently rocked him back and forth. He clutched your arm throughout the entire time, but he was beginning to shake less and less.

Once you could tell that he had snapped out of it, he stopped moving altogether for a moment before he had turned to you. Despite this, you continued to soothe him throughout the night.

That was the only time you’d ever saw him scared.

You can’t help but be reminded of that memory as you sift your fingers through his hair on the train to Crocus.

It is now the week before the Games, and you’re currently watching your sleeping boyfriend, who is using your lap as a makeshift pillow. You had figured that he had motion sickness, and evidently his was worse than the other dragon slayers.

His arms are loosely wrapped around your torso, and you can feel his chest rising and falling with every breath he takes. The sight causes a small, happy grin to appear on your face; you’re not sure how long you’ve been staring at him.

You don’t really care. He's just too cute.

Soon, the two of you reach your destination, so you gently shake him awake.

“We’re here,” you say quietly, looking down at him.

“Good,” he grunts, standing up. You both walk off and stretch immediately before looking around.

Crocus is even busier than usual, making you glad that you went ahead and booked your room months ahead of time.

“Where are we staying?”  Acnologia asks, taking your hand in his.

“Let me show you.”

…

“I thought you got us a hotel room?”  Acnologia asks, looking over the small cabin located on the top of a large mountain.

“Nope. Just a cabin home,” you say with a giggle. “We’re going to be here for a week, after all, so I decided that we should enjoy a bit of luxury. I thought it would be a nice surprise.”

You squeal in shock as he quickly slides his arm behind your lower back, pulling you to him, trapping you in his arms.

“You’re sneaky...” he murmurs, pressing a kiss to your cheek.

“Yeah, but look at the view! You can see all of Crocus from here!” you exclaim, pointing to the balcony and turning in his grasp so you’re facing him. He tightens his hold around your waist and dips his chin into the crook of your shoulder. You raise your hands up to his biceps and rub his skin gently.

“Thank you for doing this.”

“Thank you for coming here to support me,” you reply.

**XXX**

He chuckles lightly, and you can feel his breath tingling on the skin of your ear, sending a shiver through your body. He seems to notice, because he moves his hands so that they’re pressed into your hips, rubbing the skin  there gently.

Sighing, you place your hands on top of his and move them up towards the hem of your shirt a little, a teasing smile resting on your lips.

“Keep going,” you breathe.

He doesn’t answer, but he sweeps you into his arms and begins walking. It takes him a minute to find it, but eventually he walks into the bedroom and sets you on your feet lightly before closing the door.

You wrap your arms around his neck and push him against the door, at first giving him a long and passionate kiss before moving to press gentle ones along his jawline, and then his throat. You tug at the hem of his shirt, and he pulls it off, tossing it to the side. You continue your trail of kisses with at his collarbone. He groans at the sensation of your warm lips on his skin before he grabs your elbows and spins you so that you’re the one now pressed against the door.

He leans in so that your foreheads are touching before he returns his hands on your hips. This time around, however, he creeps his hands up your shirt. He presses his slender fingers against the skin of your bare tummy, then proceeds up to the skin protecting your rib cage. His eyes flick to yours and he slightly raises his eyebrows inquisitively. You nod your head before raising your arms, allowing him to pull your shirt off.

Acnologia takes a moment to admire your bra before he leans down to press a few kisses on your collarbones and neck. You reach behind you and unclasp your bra, and  Acnologia removes it.

His eyes roam over your chest for a second before he takes you by the waist and lies you down onto the bed.

Your breath hitches in your throat as he traces his fingers over your breasts before he leans back down and kisses them, causing a moan to escape your lips. He grinds his hips against yours a few times as he proceeds to lick your nipples and squeeze your hips.

“ Acnologia ,” you moan breathlessly as he pauses his actions to look up at you.

“Is this alright?” he asks, eyes hinting concern.

“Yes. Please keep going.”

He smiles a little and returns to kissing your neck while he continues pushing his hips against yours.

“You’re so beautiful,” he says, kissing your lips again. “I’m so lucky.”

“And you are incredibly handsome,” you reply, taking the chance to wrap your arms around his neck to pull him down to meet your lips again.

He then fingers the seam of your pants, so you lift your hips so he can pull them off and toss them to the side, leaving you in your panties.

His hands slide them down and kick them off and to the side. He leans down and kisses your inner thigh, causing another shudder to run over your skin.

Once again, he looks back up at you and you respond with a nod. He moves his hand so that he’s just grazing your clit, rubbing to find your sweet spot. When he finds that, you release a shrill moan and breath heavily and he smirks a bit before he slips a finger inside of you.

Your forearm comes to rest on your forehead as your mouth hangs slightly open, an unheard moan caught in the back of your throat as he gently pumps in and out. Moments later, he adds another finger, and then one more. Soon, you’re a moaning mess and you can tell you’re getting close. Just as you’re reaching your climax, he removes his hand from your vagina and sits up before freezing.

“What’s wrong?” you ask, eyeing him.

“I don’t have a condom,” he answers.

“Look in the nightstand drawer,” you reply.

He obeys and pulls one out, looking at the wrapper before looking back to you with a smirk. “Prepared, are you?”

“Just in case,” you say, giggling a little. He shakes his head before he sets the condom down and takes off his pants and removes his boxers. You can’t help but stifle a giggle as he pulls the condom on.

“What’s so funny?” he asks, looking at you as he goes back to hovering over you.

“Nothing,” you reply, “I just love you.”

Your eyes widen at your confession, but you don’t have time to be  embarrassed because he leans down to catch your lips in another kiss.

“I love you too. More than anything,” he replies.

You chuckle a little, looking him in the eye.

“Are you sure about this?” he asks. “We don’t have to if you’re not ready.”

“ i want to,” you assure, smiling as you spread your legs. He nods and takes his penis into his hands before he aligns himself with you and slowly pushes in. You gasp in pleasure, hands seeking shelter on his shoulder blades as he continues until he’s inside you completely.

He pauses for a few seconds, checking to make sure you’re okay. You smile and nod at him, so he begins thrusting.

Your nails dig into his skin as he pumps, and you find yourself wrapping your legs around his waist.

“Faster!”

He complies, speeding up the pace. You feel your mind going hazy as you focus on the feeling of having sex with him, your mind losing its train of thought as he kisses your collarbone, your sternum, your breasts, your throat. You feel his breath becoming erratic as he shuts his eyes and tries to thrust even harder.

“ Acnologia !” you moan, not even bothering to attempt to hide your pleasure.

He sloppily kisses your lips as he continues pumping into you once more before he briefly pulls his penis out of you.

“On your hands and knees,” he says, panting. You obey quickly, and he pushes himself back inside you. The room is filled with the sound of him pounding into you.

Another moan escapes you at the new angle, and your fingers curl into the sheets, your knuckles turning white. You feel him kissing your shoulders as he grips your hips.

You steady yourself by laying your forearm on the bed while using your other hand to rub your clit,  desperately in search of release.

“ Acnologia !” you shout, the knot in your abdomen swelling.

“Come for me, babe,” he grunts, slapping your ass.

“I’m almost...”

A few moments later, the knot unravels within your abdominopelvic region and you gasp, moaning his name as he, too, finds his release.

Moments pass before he pulls out of your vagina, collapsing next to you. You try to catch your breath as you lay your head on his chest.

“That was...incredible.” you say, heart racing.

“It was,”  Acnologia agrees, chuckling.

Silence ensues as you bask in the afterglow, falling asleep not long after.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Let me know how it turned out. Any thoughts for how the GMG are going to turn out?
> 
> Also, are any of you seeing the weird spacings between words and letters? I tried to find all the mistakes, but it's late where I'm at and I am about to fall asleep, so I'll do it later. It's really frustrating to me, though, and it's also happening on my other stories.


	4. iv

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The GMG!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi all! I know things have been rough lately but I hope you're all managing to pull through. My school went ahead and closed down for the rest of the year. It's been difficult, but I know we'll all get through this pandemic.
> 
> Anyways, allow this chapter to take your mind off of things for a while! I hope you enjoy :)

Morning comes sooner than you thought it would. Cracking an eye open, you find that Acnologia is not beside you. Wondering where he went, you stand and stretch your muscles out, looking around. 

Wherever he is, he seems to already be up and at it, because all of the clothes that were on the floor have been picked up, neatly folded, and set on top of the dresser. You reach up and take his shirt, tossing it over your head. Since he’s a little taller than you, it looks like a short little dress, but it’s comfy and smells like him. You also slip on your underwear before stepping out of the room. 

“Babe?” you call out, traversing through the little cabin. The living area is empty, and so is the dining room table. You peek into the kitchen; as expected, he’s not there, either. There is, however, a note taped to the fridge: 

_Good morning, love! I hope you slept well (I know I did). I just went out for a quick run, and I’ll pick some breakfast up on the way back, so don’t spoil your appetite just yet. I love you. - A_

Smiling, you gently pull the note off of the fridge before chuckling slightly. Folding it, you walk over to the table where the two of you had dropped your bags yesterday and slip it into one of its pockets. 

Then, you decide to wait for him to finish up. You plop yourself onto the couch, looking at the large lacrima screen residing on the stand across from the couch. You look to the coffee table and spot a lacrima remote, so you turn it on. 

There isn’t much on, just some news shows as well as a pre-GMG program discussing the guilds, their wizards, possible events, and who would win. You decide to just stay on that channel for a while, leaning your head on a cushy, decorative pillow and pulling your feet up to rest on the other end up the sofa. 

A few minutes later, you hear the door open and you peek your head over the top of the couch, seeing Acnologia standing there in a grey t-shirt and dark sweatpants, a large bag in his hand. 

“There you are,” you say, rolling on your back and laying back down dramatically. 

He peers over the couch, eyes lingering on your bare legs for a moment. “You stole my shirt.” 

“Yep. As your girlfriend, I have the right to steal all of your comfy clothes.” 

“Well, I’m not complaining. You look really cute,” he says, smiling as he reaches down to rub your cheek lightly. 

“I was thinking we could go explore Crocus today?” you ask, holding his hand against your cheek. 

“Of course. And tomorrow, we can go shop?” 

“Yes. Don’t you need new outfits for school?” 

He nods in response, walking over to you. You lift your legs so he can sit next to you, and when he does, you put your feet on his lap. He holds up the bag of food and you perk up. 

“Sounds like a plan!” 

… 

**[Three Days Later]**

“All set?” Acnologia asks, looping his arms around your waist. 

You rest your head on his chest and hum in reply, inhaling his scent. It may seem strange, but after a few weeks of debate, you had finally put your finger on what he smelled like: 

_Books._

Not just any book, no. More like...older books. Books with yellowed and frayed pages, with covers so worn from use that they found themselves needing replacement. He smelled of that, and...cotton candy. Blue raspberry cotton candy spun and whirled together for an eager child. 

Yeah. That was what he smelled like. Those weeks of debate were so worth it. 

You felt his hand on the back of your head, rubbing your scalp gently. “You’re going to be amazing, you know that? I’ll be there, watching you every second.” 

“I know,” you murmur, smiling and pressing a deep kiss to his lips. 

“I love you,” he says as the two of you pull apart. 

“I love you too.” 

With one last hug, you bid him farewell and exit the cabin. 

... 

You hurriedly dash across the busy streets of Crocus, dodging through crowds and narrowly avoiding collisions with others. Soon enough, you arrive at Fairy Tail’s hotel. 

After taking a moment to straighten yourself up, you step inside to see Laxus, Mirajane, Gajeel, and Mystogan all standing at the reception counter. You silently walk up behind the lightning dragon slayer and listen to them as they argue amongst themselves about their room arrangements. You keep waiting, until - 

“Jesus!” Laxus yells upon turning around. “Damn, you’re quiet as hell. Don’t sneak up on me! It’s creepy!” 

“Oh, there you are!” Mirajane says, smiling. “We were wondering when you were going to show up.” 

“Sorry. I had business to take care of. But I’m here now.” 

“Right. Well anyway, the geezer said we all have to be here by midnight,” Gajeel explains, crossing his arms. 

“Hence why I’m here,” you reply, checking the time via a clock mounted on the wall. 

“It’s almost time,” Jellal says. “We should go to our room.” 

… 

You sigh, leaning against the wall. You all have about five minutes until midnight, and you all are doing your own thing quietly. Laxus is leaning against the wall being edgy, Gajeel is sitting cross-legged on the floor writing something in a notebook and humming quietly, Mirajane is fixing her hair, and Jellal is reading a book. You’re sitting against the wall meditating, making sure your inner demon is in check for the time being. 

A few minutes later, however, the silence is interrupted by a chiming bell. The five of you glance towards the balcony, and Laxus nods. You all pour outside. 

“Attention all contestants participating in this year’s Grand Magic Games. Good morning! To narrow down the one-hundred thirteen guilds in this year’s Games to a more manageable eight, let’s begin the preliminary round! The number of guilds multiply and increase each year. ‘The games have gotten boring now!’ is all I ever hear! Let’s whittle them down, I say to you, and give just any a cheer! The rules for this preliminary round are simple!” 

Without warning, the inn begins to shake violently, like many others throughout Crocus. Soon enough, all the guild inns are rising. 

“Now, you will all be participating in a race! The finish line is at the Domus Flau colosseum. Only the first eight teams to reach it will move on to the Grand Magic Games! You’re free to use magic in any way you see fit. There are no restrictions! But remember: only the first eight teams to reach the finish line will clear this round! However, all five team members must cross the goal for it to count. One more thing: we are not responsible for any loss of life that may occur in the labyrinth. So, without further ado, let the Grand Magic Games preliminary round, Sky Labyrinth, begin!” 

Your team needs no further confirmation, and the five of you race down the path provided to you. 

“It’s a sphere...not even connected to the Domus,” Jellal notes. 

“There’s gotta be some teleportation magic at work, then,” Gajeel says. 

“Who knows what we’re going to find in here...” 

Once your team has made it inside, you find that you’re in some kind of...three-dimensional, spherical geometric pattern maze. All the walkways are twisted and upside down, leading to god knows where. 

“How in the hell...?” Laxus mumbles. 

“Let me see if I can find a way,” you say. “One of you is going to have to carry me for a second. Keep moving.” 

You close your eyes, meditating your focus on your hazy shadow form, which you beckon out of your conscience. Taking its form, you leave your physical body to collapse in a temporary sleep. Laxus is the one who catches you and throws you over his shoulder. 

In your current form, you cannot harm or be harmed. This particular state helps especially with reconnaissance type objectives. You zoom throughout the trippy halls and, eventually, you find something of interest. 

There’s a bridge and staircase that leads to a door. Above it is painted the word ‘GOAL’. 

Noting the location, you fly back, making sure to keep track of the turns as well. 

Once you track down your physical body, you touch your limp hands before you feel like you’re being sucked into a vacuum. Before you know it, you’re gasping for air on Laxus’ shoulder. 

“Did you find something?” he asks, setting you down. 

“Yeah, this way-” 

Before you can finish, however, the ground begins shaking and the entire sphere begins shifting and turning. You make sure you grab onto something secure as everything turns. When it subsides, you immediately begin looking around. 

“What the hell?! All of the pathways changed?!” Gajeel yells. 

“The entire sphere rotated,” Mirajane notes. 

“Do you still remember how to get there?” Jellal asks. 

“Yes. It was up that staircase and down that path. The one with the red smudge on the broken column,” you recall, pointing to it. It’s now located on the other side of the dome on the ceiling. 

“Alright team, you heard the woman. Let’s head out.” 

With that, the five of you split up in order to reach it according to your separate capabilities. Gajeel uses his iron magic to boost himself up, while Laxus chooses to use his lightning to teleport both he and Mirajane to the top. Jellal uses what has to be a Heavenly Body magic spell to make him fly up there. 

You? You decide to conserve your magic and climb. 

You begin making your way to the other side by jumping across the platforms and staircases, then you use the broken column to steady yourself. You look up, seeing the edge of the platform. You reach up, grip the side, and hoist yourself over to see the rest of your team awaiting you. 

“Doing things the old-fashioned way, huh?” Mirajane asks teasingly. 

“Yep. I like climbing.” 

“I think she was right, I see something down further,” Gajeel interrupts. 

You go to run with them, but are stopped when you hear voices emanating from below. Peering over the edge, you find that there’s a group of five unfamiliar mages standing in a circle with papers in their hands. 

You don’t even bother yelling at them, you just sweep your hand to the side gently, causing a large wave of darkness to push them over the side, where they fall out of the dome. Satisfied, you turn to catch up.

After running to the end of the bridge, you find that the door from earlier is still there. 

“Nice, let’s go!” 

… 

“What do you guys think is going to be the first thing Natsu yells when he sees us out there?” Gajeel asks. 

“He won’t say anything coherent. He’ll just scream,” Laxus answers, folding his arms as the five of you wait to make your entrance. 

As far as you all knew, you had got second place. However, the officials did not say how the other guilds did. From the end of the hallway, you can hear cheering and talking as well as the muffled voices of the announcers. 

“Now, the time has come to meet our competitors! First up, in eighth place, an old school bunch of wild wizards from Magnolia. They had luck in the prelims, and now they’re rarin’ to take that first place by force. It’s Fairy Tail!” 

“So, the others did make it,” Jellal notes. 

“Barely,” Gajeel scoffs. “Damn Salamander.”

The announcer babbles on about Fairy Tail’s return, then continues listing the guilds in order: 

In seventh is Quatro Cerebus, sixth, Mermaid Heel, fifith, Blue Pegasus, fourth, Lamia Scale, and in third... 

“Raven Tail?!” 

Laxus visibly stiffens. “No way...” 

The announcers state that Raven Tail has been declared legal for the Games. 

“Oh, Laxus...I’m sorry,” Mirajane murmurs. 

“Makarov must be pissed,” Gajeel adds, frowning. 

After the crowd has been calmed down a little bit, your team is announced. You’re all transported on the field by Laxus’ lightning. Immediately, your eyes are on the crowd, searching for Acnologia. You don’t pay attention as the other team interrogates you all. 

Then, Sabertooth is announced, and you discreetly wave at Rogue and Rufus and note that Minerva isn’t here yet. 

Afterwards, they announce the general schedule for the next few days before the first contest starts. 

“Hidden?” 

“I have a feeling you’ll be our best bet if it’s something stealth-based,” Laxus speaks up, looking at you. 

“Yeah, let’s send her in.” 

You hop down onto the field, and your picture and name pop up on the lacrima above. You suddenly feel self-conscious with the audience above you. Shaking it off, you listen to the rules. 

“The competitors have been chosen and the long wait is finally over!” 

Eventually, the pumpkin man calls the participants over. Your team wishes you good luck and you step forward alongside Gray. 

You spy Rufus as well as Eve Tearm too, so you make a mental note to be careful. Rufus was good with several types of magic while Eve could get sneaky and trip you up with his snow magic. You’d met the Trimens once, and fighting alongside them revealed that they were tougher than they let on despite being pretty boys. 

Gray only gives you a slight nod, which you return. He then goes to talk to that other white-haired ice mage. 

You stand behind the main group of participants, deciding not to talk to Rufus in case his master isn’t fond of that. A few moments later, however, Raven Tail’s representative walks up to Mato. 

“Before we start, I got a little problem, see. I don’t know exactly what this ‘Hidden’ game is all about, but I think something stinks around here. And that something being that there’s two fairy twerps competing in this thing. No other guild is gonna get the chance to have two members in each round, so I say they got an unfair advantage.” 

“What?!” Gray demands as you roll your eyes. Looks like you’re going to have to beat Raven Tail up again. 

Mato defends the two of you, and to your surprise the other participants are okay with it: 

“I have no qualms with it,” Rufus says, looking up and sending a wink your way. You roll your eyes again while Gray shoots you a questioning look. “In fact, I remember something that I once heard: a wise man told me, ‘two heads aren’t necessarily better than one’.” 

After Gray and Rufus speak some more, Mato yells something and blue magic encases the field. Before you know it, an entire town is forming before your very eyes. Then, you’re standing in the middle of a town with no one else nearby. You look around, wondering what’s going on. 

The announcer states the rules before multiple copies of all the wizards appear in front of you. You shrink back, not touching any of them just yet. 

You decide the best course of action is to lie low and find someone else for now. 

A few minutes of wandering later, you hear a bit of commotion down one of the streets. You spot Gray standing among the copies in front of a destroyed, fake version of Nalpudding, who stands a few feet away. You do your best to tone your magic energy all the way down and blend in with the copies, noting Nalpudding’s capabilities. 

After Gray has been teleported, you cast a discreet shadow spell that strikes Nalpudding. 

“What?!” he roars, looking around, his eyes not seeing you. Smirking, you watch as he disappears and a point is added to your name. 

Deciding to move on, you creep around the arena some more until you find Beth, Yeager, Lyon, and Gray. Yeager catches Beth only to be taken out by Lyon, who then pauses to speak to the Gray. You crouch against the side of the building, waiting for the right moment and checking around you every now and then. 

Soon, you decide enough is enough, and you just send a wave of black magic out, hitting both of the ice mages. 

“I didn’t even see her...” Lyon groans. 

“Sorry, Gray,” you say unapologetically. “I’m here to win.” 

He doesn’t answer as he and Lyon disappear. You immediately shift back into cover as Nalpudding sails down from above, almost hitting you. You shift into the shadows using your magic, double checking to make sure that this isn’t a copy of him. After confirming that it is, indeed, Nalpudding, you throw a shadow sword towards him and knock him out. 

Man, how many points is that? Four? 

Then, the sky turns dark. You immediately recognize the spell as one of Rufus’, and manage to dodge just in time. You have a feeling that you should steer clear of the memory-make mage for now, so you do. 

The game only lasts a few more minutes, though, and just when you’re plotting to get another point, the town disappears. When it’s gone, the scoreboard appears. 

  1. **Sabertooth – 9 P **
  2. **Raven Tail – 8 P **
  3. **Lamia Scale – 6 P **
  4. **Blue Pegasus, Fairy Tail B, & Quatro Cerebrus – 4 P **
  5. **Mermaid Heel – 2 P **
  6. **Fairy Tail A – 0 P **

“Hey, nice job. You didn’t get hit once!” Gray says, coming up next to you and patting your shoulder. 

“Good job to you too. Sorry I hit you.” 

“Don’t worry about it,” he chuckles. “Man, that sucked for me though.” 

“Yeah, why did Nalpudding keep coming after you?” 

“I don’t know, but he wouldn’t give me room to breathe.” He seems troubled, so you let him go back to his team while you go back to yours. 

“Sorry guys, I didn’t have enough time to do my thing. I should have been a little more aggressive,” you reply. 

“That’s okay. You did well! Fourth isn’t terrible!” Mirajane says. 

“Yeah. You were playing smart,” Gajeel adds. 

Next up on the agenda is the first battle, which is Lucy Heartfilia versus Flare Corona, another Raven Tail member. Lucy seems to have won, but for some reason her Urano Metria spell fails even though she cast it beautifully, causing Flare to take the win. A glimpse at Flare, however, reveals a relieved expression, which you link back to her guild. When you turn your attention to Raven Tail’s balcony, you find that Ivan and Obra are speaking. 

“Dirty fucking asshats,” you mumble. 

“What?” Gajeel asks from beside you. 

“Lucy should have won that,” you say. “Obra nullified the effects of the spell somehow.” 

“Bastards,” growls the iron dragon slayer. 

“No matter. We’ll take care of them later on,” comes another voice. You turn to find ‘Mystogan’ standing there. 

“I need to talk to you,” you say, eyeing the masked man. His eyes narrow, but he follows you out into the hallway of the Domus Flau anyway. 

“What can I help you with?” he asks. 

“I have a friend who wants to join your guild,” you say. “He was formerly an enemy to Fairy Tail but he’s starting to turn his life around now.” 

“Certainly! Who, may I ask, is it?” 

“Acnologia, the Black Dragon of the Apocalypse.” 

He doesn’t answer for a moment and swivels his head a few times to see if anyone is around. “The one who attacked Tenrou, you mean?!” 

“Yes. He was formerly a human, but he got so consumed with rage that he lost his original identity and turned into a dragon. We met a few months ago, and ever since I’ve been able to get him to come back to his senses. He’s in a school for healing right now, and his grades are wonderful. He also mentioned wanting to use his power for good, and he sees that good in helping defeat Zeref.” 

Jellal nods, looking off to the side for a moment. “Very well. I’ll talk to Meredy and Ultear after we finish up here. Where is he staying?” 

“We actually live together,” you answer, a blush creeping on your cheeks as you look away. “Ask Laxus if you don’t know where it is. But, if you want you could also come up to the cabin we rented after today’s events are over. Or we could all meet somewhere.” 

“Perfect. I’ll speak to him sometime today, then. I look forward to meeting him. Since he’s in school, we can work out a schedule for him to comfortably travel with us while also keeping his grades and health up.” 

“He’s really excited about joining,” you say with a fond small. “Thank you for giving him this opportunity.” 

“Thank you for giving him a second chance.” 

… 

Once the day is over, you and the rest of your team walk together out of the Domus Flau, discussing the events of the day. 

You’re trailing behind the team, but as soon as you exit the building, you see Acnologia standing there, you quietly gasp, a small smile on your face as you dart around the group and run towards him. When he spots you, he opens his arms and you crash into him. 

“You came!” 

“Of course I did. You were amazing out there,” he says, kissing your forehead as he tightens his embrace. 

“Thank you,” you reply, closing your eyes. 

A moment later, you hear one of the mages behind you cough awkwardly. Eyes widening in realization, you turn around to find the rest of your team standing there watching the two of you. 

“Are you going to introduce us?” Mirajane asks with a happy smile on her face. 

“Forgive me,” Acnologia replies, stepping forward. “I’m Alexander, her boyfriend.” 

“Nice to meet you!” Mirajane says. 

“You a Dragon Slayer?” Gajeel questions, narrowing his eyes. 

“It’s great to meet you all too,” he responds, flashing one of his cute, closed-eyed smiles that makes your heart melt. It seems like his going to school has helped him adapt to modern interaction. “And yes, I am. Apocalypse.” 

“Never heard that one before,” Gajeel mutters, looking away. You sigh in relief upon seeing that he doesn’t suspect anything. Acnologia must have disguised his scent somehow, but not enough to hide the fact the he was a ‘dragon slayer’. 

“Well, we’re headed to the bar if you guys wanna come or whatever,” Laxus interjects, already walking away. You roll your eyes at him before turning to Jellal and beckoning him over. 

Once the rest of the team leaves, you grasp Acnologia’s hand in yours. 

“Alexander, this is Jellal, – currently disguised as Mystogan – the leader of Crime Sorciere.” 

Acnologia’s eyes widen as Jellal tips his head forward in greeting. 

“A pleasure to meet you,” Jellal says. “She already informed me of your situation as well as you true identity. We’ll be in touch later on, but you are welcome to join our guild.” 

Acnologia’s grip on your hand tightens and you hear him sigh in relief. “Thank you. It’s great to finally meet you too.” 

“I’ll check in with you guys at the bar after we eat dinner,” you say. 

“Perfect. Have a good rest of your day.” 

… 

“You did so well today,” he mumbles, giving your hand another squeeze and leaning his nose against your hair. You feel him smile against you and you laugh. 

“Thank you. I should have been more aggressive, so we could have earned more points, but I didn’t quite have enough time.” 

“That’s alright, love. It was better to stay hidden than it was to be out in the open,” he replies, pressing a kiss to your temple as you smile and loop your arms around his. 

Releasing a happy sigh, you tell him: “I love you.” 

“I love you too.” 

… 

The second day comes around and begins with an event called Chariot, which, much to your dismay, Gajeel goes for. Natsu and Sting participate as well, but it doesn’t turn out well for Fairy Tail. At all. 

Natsu goes on another speech about friendship that leaves you a little annoyed. Yes, you think friendship is important but you also think Fairy Tail can take it too far and become completely blinded by it. 

The next battle doesn’t involve your guild, so you decide to walk around the arena for a bit. 

… 

The hallways aren’t as crowded, thankfully, and the cheering of the spectators is muted a bit. You take a moment to rub your eyes and enjoy the relative quiet. 

Eventually, you find yourself standing near Lamia Scale’s balcony, and you smile upon seeing a familiar face. 

“Jura!” 

The earth mage turns to you, smiling a bit when he sees you. 

“Hello,” he says your name. “It’s been a while since we last met, no?” 

“It has,” you reply. “How’ve you been?” 

“Quite alright. Even better knowing Lamia Scale will win.” 

You cock an eyebrow, smirking a little. “Are you sure about that?” 

“Yes, actually. I think my win over your little add-on member yesterday proves that we will emerge victorious.” 

You chuckle, remembering the outcome of yesterday’s battle of Jura versus Mystogan. That hadn’t gone too well either. 

“That was kind of funny though,” you mutter. 

“Quite amusing indeed.” He turns to look at the field before looking back at you. “It seems as if our member has finished his battle for the day. I’ll talk to you later, dear.” 

“Bye, Jura!” 

With that, you begin your journey back to your guild’s balcony, content with your walk for the time being. 

However, on your way back, you spy a few people grouped together on the side of the hallway. From the insignias printed on their cloaks, you can tell that they’re Council members. One of which is... 

_Lahar._

You force yourself to remain relaxed as you recall your battle with Acnologia, remembering that Lahar had seen your face. Would he recognize you? 

Guess you’ll find out. 

You continue past them, making sure to holding your head high. One of the members turns towards you, but you can’t tell if it was Lahar or another one. Nevertheless, you continue walking to Fairy Tail’s balcony, despite feeling their eyes on your back. 

You can’t help but feel relieved when you rejoin your team. 

“Just in time. Mira’s about to compete,” Laxus says, eyeing you. 

You nod. “Cool.” 

You’re not going to lie, you’ve been curious to see her demons in battle for a while. Your anticipation is deflated when it turns out to be a modelling contest, however. 

When girls from other guilds start participating, however, you begin inching away. 

“C’mon, you gotta do it too! We’re all going down there together!” you hear a voice yell. Looking to the newcomer, you find that Cana is there. 

“No,” you say, frowning and crossing your arms. The brunette rolls her eyes. 

“Fine then. The hard way it is.” 

She pushes you and your eyes widen as you lose your balance and stumble into the stadium. Your heart begins racing as foreign magic envelops your body and fades away, leaving you in a skimpy little bikini. 

Immediately, you fold your arms across your chest and try to cover yourself the best that you can. You feel your back hit the wall as your cheeks redden and you see thousands of spectators staring down. Unshed tears begin building as you look around for any means of escape. 

A few seconds later, however, you hear a crackle as a familiar staticky feeling makes the hairs on your skin stand. A moment later, your vision is surrounded by yellow and you can’t breathe until it all fades away and you’re somewhere different. 

You’re still in the bikini, but you’re in a room now, and in front of you is none other than Laxus. 

“Relax,” he says, turning away. “You’re out of there.” 

_He must have teleported us,_ you think. 

“Laxus,” you say, “thank you. I...I...” 

“No need for an explanation. You’re not comfortable with that type of shit and that’s okay. It was an asshole move of her to push you in. Here,” he kneels down to what you assume is his duffel bag and pulls out one of his shirts. It’s large and the color of rust. He throws it to you, and you catch it, unfolding it and slipping it over your head. It’s much too big, but it covers you up well, making you more at ease.

“Stay here. I’m going to go find you-know-who.” 

With that, he disappears in a cloud of static, leaving you to your thoughts for a few minutes. You slide down against the wall and hug your knees to your chest. 

You’re not like the other girls in your guild. You were never comfortable with showing off skin like the others did. And you were frozen in place, too. Your mind was racing too fast for you to figure out what you could’ve done to get out of there. 

You sit there, trying to come back to your senses for a few minutes until you hear another zap and Acnologia stands there with Laxus. Immediately, he runs over to you as you hold your arms out. 

“I’m sorry,” he says. “I didn’t react fast enough-” 

“It’s not your fault,” you say, smiling weakly as he bends down to embrace you. 

“I’ll go talk to the others and yell at Cana,” Laxus volunteers. Much to your interest, though, you catch the two men exchanging a quick glance and a nod on both sides. Acnologia hugs you tighter and plants his face in your hair. 

Once Laxus leaves, you turn to Acnologia. 

“What was that about?” 

He simpers a little bit. “We just talked.” 

“About...?” 

“Super-secret dragon slayer stuff.” 

You roll your eyes affectionately but smile fondly. “I won’t pry, but I’m glad you guys are getting along.” 

He chuckles before opening one of his magic circles underneath the two of you, and soon enough, the two of you are transported to your cabin. You’re sitting on the couch together, with him still embracing you. 

The rest of the night is filled with junk food, kisses, and cuddles. 

… 

The next day begins with an event called Pandemonium, which Erza completely obliterates much to your guild’s delight. Then, the officials use a Magic Power Finder in order to rank the rest of the participants. 

Upon entering the arena, you had been nervous that people would be talking about you. Much to your relief, however, you find that everyone has seemingly moved on. Cana even came up to you and apologized. 

The next few fights don’t catch your interest until they announce that Laxus will be going against Alexei. You knew the entire thing was an illusion and were glad to see Laxus the last one standing in the end. 

Next up, Wendy goes against Sherria. You had yet to speak to Wendy, but she seemed like a good kid. You were glad to see that she was improving her magic, too, and that there was another female Slayer. 

With that, Day Three draws to a close. 

… 

“You’re up for the naval battle,” Laxus says the next day. 

“Alright, then,” you say, hopping into the arena once more. 

Soon enough, the announcer states the rules and beings announcing the competitors. 

You’re plunged in a few seconds after, being introduced right after Minerva. 

You’re also relieved to see that your bathing suit is a modest, one-piece tech suit. It’s like Minerva’s, but it connects in the middle and is black. 

It feels odd floating in the water, but it’s also relaxing in a way. You take a moment to readjust your senses to the weightless feeling. 

“Ah, seems as if we meet again,” Minerva states, smirking. 

“I’m winning this,” you growl playfully, getting up in her face. 

A few moments later, the fight begins. 

“OPEN! Gate of the Water Bearer – Aquarius!” With Lucy’s words comes a flash of light and a large mermaid spirit. 

You instantly swim away from Minerva and decide to take advantage of everyone’s momentary stupor. You avoid the large beam of water summoned from Aquarius and sneak behind Jenny, immediately kneeing her in the back and sending her squealing and flying out of the water. You periodically remind yourself to keep an eye on Minerva since she’ll be your biggest threat. Next, you spot the guy in the red suit and you send a wave of black magic towards him, knocking him out as well. 

Then, the pink-haired girl goes for Risley. While they’re both distracted, you transform into your shadow form before rising between both of them and sending waves of forceful magic their way, causing them to become off balance. You shove Risley out and go for the next girl, but she’s already gone. 

You sense her behind you and dodge her punch before turning around to counter her next attack. Then, you catch an opening and jerk your weight forward, effectively throwing her balance off once more. You push her and she falls out too. 

Next, you decide to check on Minerva, who is fighting Aquarius. The spirit keeps trying to use the water against Minerva, but she only manipulates the spell to her will with her spatial magic before Aquarius leaves, saying something about her boyfriend. With her departure, Lucy is momentarily left wide open. 

Then, you realize it’s only you, Lucy, and Minerva left. 

_That didn’t take long._

“Lucy!” you call, spying Minerva preparing another spell. Immediately, you teleport with your shadows and reappear just in front of her, sending a roundhouse kick to her abdomen, causing her to stumble. In a matter of seconds, shadows are crawling around your wrists and you mutter a spell under your breath, creating a bit of space before blasting an antimatter-based spell – something Acnologia had helped you improve on. You knew antimatter-type spells would work way better against a matter-based magic like Minerva’s. 

Even so, she still retaliates with a blast of her own. You pour yourself into the attack, your eyes entirely focused on her fuzzy figure. 

Suddenly, you see a flash of bright light. You think you hear Minerva grunt and you can tell she’s been hit by something, because her stream of magic hesitates for a moment, allowing you to push even harder. 

_Lucy must’ve got one on her,_ you think. 

Then, though, a bright light encases the whole sphere. The temperature of the water heats up drastically, and soon your skin is burning. You can’t see anything but white, and you think you hear Lucy screaming, but the ringing in your ears prevents you from being sure. You think Minerva has changed positions, so you stop forming the beam and focus on defense for now. 

Once the white fades away, you see Minerva and Lucy floating close to each other, Minerva holding Lucy’s keys. You grit your teeth, knowing that Minerva is no longer being playful and is succumbing to her horrid father’s expectations. Your fist curls as she continues beating Lucy. But, once you try to swim over and help, you feel one of her spatial spheres encompass your figure. 

“I’m saving you for last,” Minerva calls. 

“Don’t do this!” you yell, banging on the sphere. You know you can escape her sphere, but it would take a while for the spell to warm up. Regardless, you start preparing it anyway, neon blue beginning to gather around yourself. 

“Hang in there, Lucy,” you mumble. 

Minerva keeps beating Lucy without mercy, blow after blow after blow…

“MINERVA, STOP!” you shout. “SHE’S HAD ENOUGH!” 

It only takes a few minutes until Minerva finally throws Lucy out of the stadium. With that, your spell is complete and you feel the familiar and welcome rush of Acnologia’s magic wash over your being. 

His time magic is able to pick a way through her barrier, shattering it instantaneously. Minerva realizes you’ve broken free and attempts to block your next attack, but you’re too quick, your body now a mix of your shadows and your physical form. 

“You went too far,” you say, frowning. 

She doesn’t respond. Instead, the two of you go into an intense sparring match for the rest of the match. It’s a bit hard given the environment of the fight, but you manage. You catch a glimpse of remorse in her eyes, but it dissolves quickly. You know you won’t be able to talk her out, so you do your best to keep up with her. 

You don’t even bother trying to push her out because you’ll know she’ll just teleport herself back in. It was too risky a move for you, so you just focus on getting past the five-minute timer for the time being. The majority of the time had passed, though, thanks to Lucy. 

However, the officials end up calling time before you can properly beat her. It takes a minute to get her to back down, but once she does, a tie for first is announced. You leave the sphere, disappointed in your friend. 

You can’t help but wonder why she didn’t just transport you out of the arena, though. 

… 

“I feel bad for her,” you mumble. 

“It must be difficult to be in a situation like that,” Acnologia replies. 

“Yeah. I wish I could talk her out of it, but Jiemma’s had too great an influence on her...” you sigh, putting your hand on your forehead. 

“Well, don’t dwell on it, love. She’ll come around eventually,” he replies, hugging you and pressing a kiss on your lips. You exhale deeply and close your eyes, laying your head on his chest. 

The two of you are curled up in bed together, both in your pajamas, just talking about whatever crosses your mind. With a frustrated huff, you hover over him and kiss him deeply, closing your eyes as he kisses back and places his hands on your hips. 

After a few more minutes of making out, you hear someone knocking on the front door. 

“Ugh,” you groan. “Are you shitting me?” 

He laughs and sits up, swinging his legs over the bed. “I’ll get it.” 

You sigh and slump back against the headboard, listening as he opens the door and talks to whoever’s there. A few seconds later, Acnologia pokes his head through the doorway, his eyes laced with concern. 

“It’s Rogue,” he informs. You sit up, frowning. “Something happened at Sabertooth.” 

Nodding, you stand, taking a moment to readjust your pajamas and fix your hair. Once you’re done, you follow him out into the living room. 

There, you see a crying Frosch being cradled by Rogue. 

“What happened?!” you ask, kneeling down next to Frosch. 

“L-L-Lector!” Frosch cries, causing Rogue to squeeze him even tighter. 

“Jiemma was not pleased with the outcome of our tag team battle today,” Rogue responds, his red eye downcast. “And Lector...he tried to stand up for Sting, but Jiemma...” 

“Master hurt Lector!” Frosch says. “Lector’s gone! Gone!” 

“Oh my god,” you mumble. “Do you guys need to stay here tonight? We have an extra room...” 

“No, I will be returning. Would you mind keeping Frosch with you tonight and tomorrow, and possibly longer? I believe that Minerva has a plan to overthrow Jiemma once and for all. She said that Lector is still alive, but Sting can only see him again if we win tomorrow.” He sighs. “I know we can’t beat Fairy Tail, though. That’s the thing.” 

“You and Sting can take on Jiemma,” you encourage. “I can try to talk to Minerva too. Maybe all of you could make this into a real coup d'état.” 

He smiles sadly. “Thank you. I greatly appreciate it. Our team agreed that we would think about our options tonight and act after the Games.” 

With that, he hands Frosch over to you after giving his exceed a hug. With Frosch secure in your arms, you and Acnologia see Rogue out and bid him goodbye. 

Once the door is closed, you eye Frosch, who seems to have calmed down a bit. 

“Do you need anything, Fro?” you ask, patting his back as he rests your head on his shoulder. 

“Could...could Fro have some water, please?” 

“I’ll get it,” Acnologia offers. “Go lay down. I’ll be in there momentarily.” 

You nod and smile weakly, carrying the exceed to your room. 

“Do you want to sleep with us?” you question, sitting on the bed. 

“Yes, please,” Frosch replies, his broken little voice making your heart break. 

Then, your boyfriend returns with a tiny cup of water in his hands. He hands it to Frosch and crawls in bed next to you. 

… 

The final day approaches at last, and you can feel the audience’s anticipation emanating from the stands. You meet up with what appears to be your new team. 

You notice a few of your guildmates are missing, though. Mirajane is nowhere to be found. Instead, the new team is you, Laxus, Gajeel, Gray, and Erza. Today seems to be a free-for-all for the teams, which will definitely be quite the spectacle. 

Upon asking Laxus where the missing members went, he shakes his head and sighs. 

“Apparently blondie got captured again,” he states. “Figures.” 

“How?” you murmur. 

“Hell if I know,” he replies before dropping his tone. “And apparently they found a dragon grave or something. They learned a little more about Acnologia too.” 

Your eyes widen. “Who told them?” 

“The spirit of a dragon named Zirconis,” your friend answers. “That’s the extent of my knowledge, though. They went to go rescue her.” 

“Damn,” you reply with a sigh. 

“Is he here today?” 

“In the stands, yeah.” 

Laxus nods. “Alright then.” 

“What’s the event for today?” 

“Guild free for all,” he replies. “The geezer reorganized our teams, as you’ve seen.” 

“Yep.” 

A while later, the final event for the Grand Magic Games is announced, and your new team hops down onto the field. 

You hear Mavis’ voice in your head, instructing you what to do. The five of you keep your eyes closed until Mavis permits you all to head towards your assigned battles. 

You’re supposed to act as support, so you stick to the shadows until you’re needed. 

At one point, you come across Sherria, however, so you decide to go ahead and take care of her. You reveal yourself, expression neutral. 

“Ah, here we go! Another lady slayer!” she squeals. You understand that she’s young, but you’re going to fight her like an adult. Even if that means getting physical. 

Which you do, because you really don’t have time for this. Once you’re close enough to her, you drop yourself to the ground, catching yourself with your hands and sweeping her off of her feet with a kick to her ankles. She cries out and collapses as you recover and stand once more. 

“I have a piece of advice for you, as a ‘lady slayer’,” you say. “Learn to fight without magic. It’ll save your ass one day.” 

“Got it!” she replies, picking herself back up. “Let me show you what else I’ve got, though.” 

You sigh in irritation, trying to be patient. “Hurry.” 

She shouts her roar at you, which you dodge, and instead take advantage of the opportunity to teleport behind her and use a sleeping spell to knock her out. 

With that, you see a blast of light emanate from a different place. You turn to see a large beam of golden light shooting towards the sky. 

_T__hat must be Minerva, _you think. You decide to go see what’s happening there, so you shift to your shadow form and fly overhead. 

Minerva, Kagura, and Erza are in an intense, fast-paced battle. 

“Oh, I’m getting in on this,” you mumble, smirking. As soon as you see an opening, you dive in, hitting Kagura across the field and sending her stumbling. Your physical form accumulates next to Erza. 

“WHAT A TWIST!” you hear the announcer yell before he states your name and continues: “...has joined the battle! What will come of this?!” 

“There you are,” Minerva states, smirking at you. “I was wondering when you’d show up.” 

Erza doesn’t comment, her gaze settled on Minerva. 

“Let’s settle this,” you say. You do a back handspring before righting yourself and throwing your arms out, sending pressurized spouts of dark magic through the field. A few of them strike Minerva, and it seems like they hurt her a little. She retaliates by summoning one of her little space bubbles beside you. From the number of times you two have sparred together, you know that touching it will cause it to burst and deal a great amount of damage. She’s making this tricky, though, because she’s being persistent in her attacks. Punch after punch, spell after spell. 

Soon, you fade into your shadow form, disappearing from view. You know she’s going to try to find you by using her spatial magic to detect your general mass, so you think of a way to quickly take advantage of that. 

Sure enough, she opens a wormhole, causing you to teleport inside it. Chanting, you send a raw wave of magic out to hit her. 

“Agh!” she cries before lunging at you and effectively pushing you inside the wormhole. You know that the two of you are no longer visible to the audience. 

You’re going to have to be careful about using Acnologia’s magic in this situation, though. Time magic against spatial is a dangerous combination. 

“I noticed you’ve been picking up new spells recently,” Minerva says. She, too, is no longer in her physical form. Her body is encompassed in neon blue and purple magic that swells animatedly. Her eyes are white slits and her other features are temporarily nonexistent. 

“I have,” you admit. 

“I wonder how. No matter. I want to see what you can do.” 

You don’t think you should use your corrupted magic here; it’s too fragile an environment. Instead, you dodge Minerva’s attacks and disappear completely before toning your magic energy all the way down. You move so that you’re right next to her before invoking a wormhole via Acnologia’s magic and forcing her into it. 

She grunts, unprepared for the sudden transition from magic to reality. Hitting the ground hard, she picks herself back up before trapping your in her spatial magic bubbles and transferring you somewhere. The swirling colors of her magic block your vision, but soon, you’re gasping for breath as the air is squeezed out of your lungs and pressure is weighing your entire being down. You open your eyes only to find darkness surrounding you. 

But then, something in the distance catches your eye. You manage to hold yourself up for a few seconds in time to see what it is. 

_Milliana._

She’s trapped inside Minerva’s magic, but she looks rough. Gritting your teeth, you force yourself to stand despite the strong force of gravity forcing you down. 

“Milliana?” you yell. 

Her head swivels weakly before she spots you. 

“Please...” she says. “Get me out of here.” 

“I will. Hold on.” 

You close your eyes. You have a feeling that Minerva is trying to deal with Kagura, so that means she probably transported you to a relatively-stable part of the void. Lucky for you, you have a spell that can get the two of you out of here. 

As you approach the Mermaid Heel wizard, you find that she’s been badly beaten. 

“Oh my god,” you mumble, frowning. “I’m sorry.” 

“Please...until she comes again...I can’t take it another time!” 

You nod and step backwards before closing your eyes and making neon blue runes cover your body. Before you know it, you’re diving towards Milliana, who you catch in your arms, and use your feet to administer the spell by driving yourself into the ground and shattering your forms back into reality. 

It was a risky move, but it paid off. Milliana lies on the ground of the arena, which now lies in ruin. Kagura is helping Erza out from underneath a large, fallen rock. 

But, faster than you can process, Minerva is there, holding a sword. You call Kagura’s name out, but it’s too late. 

Minerva shoves the blade through Kagura’s back, causing Erza’s eyes to widen in horror while your heart rate rises. 

_She needs help fast, or else she’s going to bleed to death..._ you think. 

Minerva finally throws the sword to the side before turning back to you. 

“Minerva...” you growl, clenching your fist before standing. 

“Milliana?” Erza questions. 

“I had a feeling you would escape,” Minerva says. 

“You can’t keep me there,” you spit, returning her glare. 

You can tell Erza is hurt, too. Looks like you’re going to have to help her out with this one. 

Once again, you find yourself locked into an intense hand-to-hand combat session with her. She’s fast, but you’re unpredictable. Soon, you trip her up and tackle her, holding her down. She draws her right hand out of your grasp before she slams it back into you. The spatial magic that had been gathered there bursts right as it makes contact with you, effectively throwing you off of her. 

As you land, you try to think of a way that you can fight her and win. Maybe working together with Erza would get Minerva out faster…

Mind set, you stand once more, will as stubborn as ever.

“You’ll never learn…” Minerva mumbles. You see Erza stumbling beside you, causing you to place a hand on her shoulder. She nods at you, a determined gaze settled in her eyes.

You think that since she’s hurt, you’ll have to get Minerva to blind herself and, in a way, forget Erza is part of the equation. If you can blind her, then there’s a good chance she won’t use her wormholes since she can’t see where she’s going. The thing is that Minerva is smart and doesn’t count anyone out too quickly.

Minerva ends up switching tactics by manipulating the space around you to blow up and send a wave of energy towards you in an attempt to hurt you. You quickly learn that the best way to counter these attacks is to stay on the move. You’re listening, dodging, looking, moving. Spatial bomb after spatial bomb, you realize that not only is she trying to catch you, but she’s also switching the pockets of space around as well as their rules – which you know is very frowned upon by the Council.

Regardless, dust is swelling up into the air. That’s good at least: one part of your impromptu plan is a success. A few seconds later, you hear Minerva gasp from wherever she is, along with the sound of metal. Must be Erza.

Now that she’s returned, you know this is your chance. You run back to where Erza is. She’s lunging towards Minerva, who is preparing another spell. Erza requips while you jump in front of her to block Minerva’s oncoming attack with a shield of dark magic.

“Morning Star armor!” you hear Erza yell.

Now you have an idea of where this is going, you start charging a blast of dark magic. Erza summons her pair of twin, one-handed swords before swinging them outwards. Her armor begins shining brightly, which leads you to think that she’s thinking what you’re thinking.

Your magics entangle and build each other up: hers is currently taking the form of a brilliant white blast of light while yours is completely the opposite: a daunting mass of black. Soon, you jump in front of Erza while she leaps upwards, unfolding her arms and holding her swords out while you summon a magic circle using both of your magics.

It’s large and is a mix of black and white while intricate patterns are woven into the middle.

You know the name of this spell. It’s there, lingering in the back of your mind. Never had you had this type of experience with another wizard.

_A Unison Raid._

“Devil-Dragon Lost Art: Hyper Anti-Mass!” you both yell in sync. Minerva’s eyes widen as she’s overcome with the whelm of that contrast.

It’s until the spell has completely destroyed what’s left of the arena that you realize what has just occurred.

“I get it,” you mumble.

“Get what?” Erza asks.

“The contrast of magic wasn’t symbolizing the forces of good and evil. They were actually mass amounts of light. Minerva’s magic partly relies on waves to detect the presence of colors, and where there’s color, there’s mass. Where’s there mass, there’s volume. When there’s volume, there’s space to manipulate, no matter how small.”

“You’re saying the overload basically crippled all opportunity of her being able to fight back since she couldn’t distinguish what was what?”

You shrug, smiling. “Essentially.”

The requip wizard nods. “That makes sense.”

With that, you glance at Minerva one last time before following Erza back.

…

As soon as you meet up with the rest of your team, you find that Sting is the last one left. He surrenders as soon as you all approach him.

With his surrender, Fairy Tail is declared the victor of the Grand Magic Games. You’re happy, but you also don’t want to deal with all the people. You’re tired, injured, and ready to be home.

You manage to sneak away in your shadow form before people can find you, flying back to the cabin where you know Acnologia will be waiting.

Once you get there, however, you find that he’s out on the balcony, staring at the city lights. You creep up behind him and wrap your arms around his back, pressing your face into his shoulder blades.

“I didn’t see you at the entrance,” you start. “Are you okay?”

He doesn’t say anything for a moment. Instead, he turns around and hugs you properly.

“Are you okay?” you repeat, looking up at him and pressing your hand to his cheek.

“Don’t get me wrong,” he says, eyes inscrutable. “You were incredible.” He leads you over to the couch, where you sit. He kneels in front of you and begins healing you. Sighing in relief upon feeling his magic wash over you, you trace his cheek with your finger.

“What’s wrong?”

You catch the worried look on his face this time. “Something…something is wrong.”

“What do you mean?”

His blank expression is beginning to unnerve you, but before you can say anything more, a deep vibration originating from outside catches your attention. You stand and walk towards the balcony again, goosebumps rising on your skin as you feel the hairs standing.

You hear something – at first, you think it’s the wind, but when it’s accompanied by a distant, eerie groaning, your eyes widen. The sky is becoming dark, and you find your heartrate picking up rapidly. Suddenly, you feel Acnologia grabbing your bicep harshly and jerking you so that you’re facing him.

His expression scares you – he’s…he’s…

…he’s _panicked_.

“Use ballistic magic if you can. Energy-type magic won’t do much against them. Aim under their scales and on their bellies.”

“Wha-what are you talking about?”

“I’ve heard that sound far too many times to count. I’m coming to fight with you. I’ve lost enough loved ones to these bastards. I won't lose you too.”

Your eyes widen. “Are you saying…?”

He nods, expression grim as he realizes what you both have to do. “Dragons. They’re here. They’re coming.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Let me know what you guys think! I was originally going to combine this chapter with the whole dragon thing plus the ball, but this chapter alone turned out to be almost 10k words long, haha.
> 
> Anyways, next chapter is going to be quite intense as you all can imagine. Take care of yourselves!

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks for reading! Let me know what you think!
> 
> Check out the playlist I listened to while writing -->  
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLmxKVeWnCtmkleLdK5CKWfsQvW9_KuoFR


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